Hermione's Wolf
by foppet1
Summary: There is more than meets the eye when it comes to Pansy Parkinson. Two sides; they want the same thing but on different terms. Will Pansy be able to trust her with her secret? Only time will tell. I'm bad at these, please read and review!
1. Back to Hogwarts

**Disclaimer: None of JK Rowling's characters belong to me, but I will be adding some of my own. **

**A/N: I will be continuing Pansy's Secret, but the next chapter is in the works. Here is something to hold you over**

Contrary to what the magical community thought, whether we were pure blooded witches and wizards didn't matter to us in the slightest.

What mattered to the Parkinson family was the Pack we lead.

Our Pack was the most respected and feared in the entire western hemisphere, and I was next in line to be Pack Leader, or Alpha Female as the Pack calls it. In ten years, my father would step down and I would become Alpha and lead The Howling Winds Werewolf Pack.

Of course, Hogwarts was a challenge for me, seeing as I had no choice but to change when the full moon ripped my beast from my body. She is an unforgiving mistress, the moon is. When she calls, we must answer.

Outside of the full moon, I could control my change, unless some Beast Master vampire was fucking with me and trying to force my beast into the open. Even then, I am able to resist most of the time.

Or unless my emotions got so out of control that my beast burst free.

More of that later, though.

I live in two entirely different worlds. There is the magical community, which believes it knows my world, but knows nothing of it. They do not know of my species of werewolf; they do not know of the seven different kisses of vampires with which we coexist.

The werewolves that the witches and wizards know are vile beasts that cannot control themselves without the aid of a potion or other magic.

I am a natural-born werewolf.

This may be disturbing to some but I was actually born when my mother was in her wolf form, which meant that I came out as a wolf cub. It rarely happens, but happens it does. Of course, as soon as I fell to sleep for the first time, I shifted into my human body and I was not able to shift again until I turned five years of age.

This was a shock, seeing as it normally didn't happen until age ten. My mother says that I'd been throwing a temper tantrum over something or other, and suddenly there was a small wolf growling at her.

My father took it as a sign of a powerful future Pack Leader and my mother cried tears of confusion.

As much as I truly hated to leave the Pack and go to Hogwarts, I had to. The combination of magic and my beast mixed with my emotions made me dangerous without training. Ever see what happens when a werewolf/witch gets so angry that her magic and beast begin to work together?

You don't want to.

And so I found myself staring at the bright red train once again, but this time was different. This year, my sixth year, was going to be different.

I didn't know exactly how, save for that I was going to quit my charade of pining after that git, Malfoy. The rest I would work out soon enough, but I was finished with Draco Malfoy for good. Besides, he was too embarrassed over the imprisonment of his father to even realize I was there.

Fair enough, he may as well not even have existed as far as I was concerned.

I turned to my mother and father, standing tall and looking at them with a small smile.

"Do your best to control yourself, Pansy," my mother reminded me. "Make sure you aren't seen when She calls."

'She' meaning the moon.

"I will, mother," I nodded. "I am always careful; and even if I am seen, since Potter's Grimm incident, they'll just think it was an omen of his death." I added with a chuckle.

"Pansy," my father growled a warning to me.

"I'm sorry, father," I offered him my throat, lowering my head in apology. "I will not be seen, I promise you that."

"Hold your head up," he pulled my chin up and forced me to meet his eyes. "We are in public and that is very odd behavior for a witch. Just know that I and your mother love you and we will write to you weekly. Please return the favor."

"Of course, father," I smiled and hugged him tightly to me, bringing my mother in on the hug as well. Their scent comforted me and I wanted just one more whiff before I left again, to remember what home smelled like. "I love you both, and I will see you at Christmas."

Both my father and mother kissed my cheek and said their goodbyes before I turned and walked on to the train, dragging my luggage behind me.

I hated pretending that I was having a hard time pulling my trunk behind me, when I could easily have picked it up over my head and carried it like that. But that would have drawn too much attention.

Having arrived early to get a compartment to myself, I found one near the middle where the Gryffindors normally sat took up residence, and I knew none of my housemates would find me. I looked around and made sure no one was watching before I lifted my trunk up into the overhead rack.

Lying back and relaxing, I kicked off my shoes and socks and opened a book I had begun reading about lycanthropes.

It was as close to true comfort as I could get for a long time, now. Save for privet moments and baths and showers and sleeping. Truth be told, I and the rest of my kind preferred to be naked over being clothed.

I never understood why people were so embarrassed over something as natural as nudity.

My lifestyle would shock quite possibly everyone in Hogwarts. I nearly never slept alone; I always slept with a few or many of my Pack members who frequently stayed at our home.

And it was always naked.

Before you ask, no, I do not have sex with these people. We simply sleep, and that is that. We crave the touch of one anther, the comfort, and it is not sexual in any way shape or form. My mother has taken to calling this sleeping arrangement a "puppy pile", which I find cute.

Though, I do admit that I enjoyed puppy piles much more when it was mostly or all female. Being a lesbian, that is bound to be the case, is it not?

Luckily for me, the Pack and my parents were all very accepting and didn't ridicule me for my orientation. Though, some of the males were definitely disappointed, but too bad for them.

While I was no virgin, I had only had sex a few times and that had been in emergencies to control my beast.

Yes, sex helps for some reason. Some abused it, and then paid the consequences when I or my father found out that they abused it.

Whether I liked it or not, clothes were a necessity outside of my home and the lupanar, our clearing in the forest where we meet at the full moon. I had gotten used to it by now, but still didn't have to like it.

My thoughts were interrupted when the compartment door slid open and a group of new first years nearly barged in.

"Do you mind?" I growled, glaring at them and they jumped back.

"S-sorry!" one of the squirrely little eleven year olds gasped. "We didn't realize someone was in- in here."

"Why don't you try looking through the window next time," I raised an eyebrow. "It's that clear sheet of glass right there," I pointed at it.

Still stumbling over apologies, the young students left my compartment and closed the door behind them.

Sighing, I thought, not for the first time, how much I envied them. As a future Pack Leader, I did not have a true childhood. My childhood was over when I turned the age of eight and my training began. Of course, my mentality had already changed on its own, naturally.

Hell, when I was seven, a vampire had come to visit and I had used any excuse to be alone with her so I could find her weaknesses in case I might have to kill her in the future. Such is the life of a young Alpha.

I got to play, of course, but it wasn't the same as human children playing. When we played, it was not just for fun, but to establish dominance and challenge one another.

I never lost a challenge.

The compartment door slammed open again and I heard a familiar voice. "Honestly, Ronald, why don't you just grow up?" Then it slammed shut again and I looked around to find Granger standing there glaring at the opposite wall, not having even noticed that I was in the room.

"He's a boy, Granger," I sighed, turning a page in my book. "If you honestly expect him to even remotely grow up, you're not as smart as everyone thinks."

She whipped around, gasping slightly and jumping backward a little. "I didn't even see you, Parkinson," Granger's hand was hovering by the wand sticking out of her pocket.

I looked up at her with just my eyes. "Then maybe you are just blind and have been confusing the boy for the girl all these years," I snarked at her. "Really, I thought you were brighter than that." I looked back to my book and continued reading.

"Why aren't you yelling at me to get out of the compartment?" Granger asked, and I looked up to see her frowning down at me.

"Stay, go, I really don't care," I shrugged. "It's not me who has the problem with muggle-borns, Granger. It's the rest of my housemates. I don't care about your parentage."

Slowly, Granger slid down onto the bench across from me. "So, you don't mind if I stay in here so I don't have to put up with Ron?"

"Nope," I said, looking back to my book. "If you want something to read, I have some books in my trunk."

"What's that you're reading?" she asked, trying to look at the cover.

"Nothing," I closed the book and shoved it into my bag. "Just a book I thought might be interesting, but it's not."

"Oh," she nodded, but her eyes lingered on my bag for a moment or two, then she noticed my feet. "Where are your shoes and socks?" she raised an eyebrow at me.

"Not on my feet," I commented and lay back again as the train began to move. "Forgive me for wanting to be comfortable."

The train came out of the tunnel and the sun shone brightly on my skin, warming me and I had to fight the urge to stretch out on the floor and lay there on my back. I loved the feel of the sun on my body; nothing could compare to it.

"Look," I said before she spoke again, "I'm gonna take a nap, so try to keep it down a bit, ok?"

"Fine," Granger shrugged and looked out the window.

Sighing, I turned over on my side facing the back of the seat and curled up, wishing that I wasn't alone. I hated sleeping alone, and being clothed made it even worse for me. I was asleep soon enough as the sun danced along my skin.

I woke to the sound of a struggle and Granger threatening to curse someone's ass off. Jumping up, faster than I should have done while trying to keep a low profile, I saw Millicent had Granger cornered and had her wand out.

Fuck.

Millicent was from another Pack of wolves, but a very lesser Pack that I was planning on taking over anyway when I became Pack Leader.

I let out a low growl, so that only she could hear it and she turned around to face me before jumping back. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I should be asking you that," I advanced on her menacingly. She was not a dominant wolf, and I was. To her, she felt like she was being choked by the power rolling off of me that only other werewolves and lycanthropes similar to us could feel.

"Just having a bit of fun," she tried to defend herself, but she was backing toward the door. "You could join in."

"I don't think so," I said, laughing at her. "I'm here because I don't want to be around you, among others."

_What claim do you have to her? _Millicent's wolf growled to my own in my head.

_None, but you have no place here, now leave_, my own wolf snapped.

To Hermione, we were staring one another down, but to us this was a fight for dominance that both of us knew I'd win. Millicent just didn't have what it took to be dominant to anyone but a human.

Millicent left and I turned back to my seat, flopping down and looking over at Granger.

"You all right?" I asked. "Did she hurt you?"

"No," she said. "But I don't understand; two years ago, you and her were ready to harass me every chance you got, and now you're defending me from her?"

_More like defending my territory_, my wolf growled through my head.

_She isn't ours_, I told it. "People change, I suppose," I shrugged to her. "Maybe I grew up."

_She could be ours_, my wolf insisted. _She would be a good mate._

_Shut up_, I rolled my eyes inwardly at the beast. _She's human and we would hurt her._

_Not if we're careful_.

_Enough_.

"Are you ok?" Granger asked and I looked at her again.

"What?"

"You looked like something was wrong," she said, relaxing back into her seat.

"Nothing is wrong," I said, laying back down and turning over again after locking the compartment door. "Wake me up when we're almost there, would you?"

"Sure."

But I didn't go back to sleep, though I did a good job of pretending I was. I was arguing back and forth with my wolf. She insisted that Granger should be ours, that we should mark her.

, I rolled my eyes again,

_She's not Pack._

_Neither is your aunt's husband._

_She would never accept me, us._

_Why?_

_Come onreally? I have two halves: my human half and you._

_We are one._

_But she wouldn't understand that._

_Make her understand._

_That's it; I'm blocking you out now. Bye_.

With that, I stopped all communication with my beast. It wasn't as though there was a separate being inside of me, but it was my other half, my wilder half, thinking against my human half. My wolf was me, and I was me, we had the same voice, but at the same time, I could tell which was me and which was my beast.

No, no human would ever understand what I was or what that meant.

I heard Granger move after a long while and gently rouse me from my "sleep". "Parkinson," she said, "we're almost there. You should probably put your robes on and get ready."

I looked up at her groggily and shook my head slightly before sitting up, pretending to wake up. "Thanks," I sniffed, standing up. That sniff was not a good idea, not at all. Granger had a scent rolling off of her that made my mouth water and my beast fight against my block.

"Are you wearing perfume?" I asked, looking over at her.

"No, why?" she frowned at me.

"No reason," I said quickly, rummaging through my trunk and pulling out a set of robes.

The sun was gone and the crescent moon shone above as I pulled my shirt over my head and slipped my jeans down my hips.

Granger quickly turned her head, pulling the shade over the window, and I rolled my eyes. "Really, why is changing clothes such a big deal to everyone?"

"It's just that it's kind of a major step," she said, looking down at the ground. "Again, you used to act like you hated me and now you're stripping in front of me and changing your clothes."

She wants us, my wolf said excitedly.

No, I snorted, and even if she did, she would want me, not us. She wouldn't understand that we are one in the same. And I blocked her out again.

Slipping into my uniform, I rolled my eyes and laughed at her shyness. "It's not a big deal," I pulled on my robes and straightened my Slytherin tie. "And I don't hate you; don't really think I ever did. As I said," I looked at her again, "maybe I've grown up."

She was already in her robes, and her wand was held tightly in her hand.

Straightening my hair and stretching again, I didn't so much as stumble when the train stopped and walked out of the compartment, nodding to her as I went.

I had a week until the full moon; being a prefect, getting out of the castle was no problem at all. I always volunteered to do outside shifts after curfew to make sure no students were outside. Of course, I never came in until the morning, when I was no longer furry.

I was one of only three of my kind at Hogwarts; the others being Millicent and Luna Lovegood.

Luna was part of my pack. We always ran together under the moon in the forest until we'd fall asleep side by side until dawn came and we would make our way back into the castle after dressing ourselves in clothes we'd brought out with us.

She was by no means dominant, but she also didn't let the other wolves in the pack push her around. The only ones she was required to take shit from were my father, my mother, and I.

Luna caught my eye and nodded toward an empty carriage and I walked over and stepped into the carriage before her.

We were joined by Longbottom, who looked like he'd wet his pants if I even so much as looked at him, and a few other students before the carriage started to move. Luna stared out of the window with her signature dreamy expression as I kept my eyes glued to my book again.

"_Are you all right, Pansy?" _Luna's voice slid through my mind and I sighed.

"_I'm fine, Luna, thanks."_

"_You smell like Hermione Granger," _her voice frowned.

"_She sat in the compartment with me on the train," _I turned the page in my book. _"Good thing, too, Millicent was on the prowl again. She doesn't deserve to be one of us."_

"_You can't do anything about her here at school, Pansy," _Luna reminded me. _"Do not challenge her."_

"_I know. I won't, don't worry."_

I blocked her from my mind, one of my special abilities as an Alpha wolf.

When I took my seat in the Great Hall, I distanced myself from the people I normally sat with, not feeling like listening to them cursing about Potter and his friends.

It was going to be a long year, but in the end, it would be worth it.


	2. Running

**Disclaimer: Not my characters; I just like to fuck with their lives and have my fun ^_^**

**Running**

The week did not pass quick enough but pass it did. Friday after noon, the night of the full moon, found me watching the clock after classes as I sat in the library, pretending to read.

Again, I was reading my book on the different types of lycanthropes and where they mostly lived. Well, pretending to, at least.

"_Ready to run tonight?" _Luna's voice slid through my mind and I looked around, trying to find her. She had to be somewhere close, because she wasn't strong enough to reach my mind from a distance.

I saw her standing over by a bookshelf about ten feet from where I sat.

"_I'm always ready to run," _I sighed, flipping the page. _"Why else would I be sitting here in front of the clock?"_

"_We should go down to dinner," _she insisted. _"Shouldn't run on an empty stomach; you always get so grumpy and hog all the rabbits if you do." _

"_Let's go then," _I closed my book and got up, walking briskly toward the door. Luna would follow in a couple minutes.

As I rounded the corner, I nearly ran into Granger as she sped toward the library.

"Slow down, speedy," I called over my shoulder, watching her spin around to see who she'd run into.

"Sorry," she said, but it was so quiet I shouldn't have been able to hear it and so I ignored it and continued on my path.

I dropped off my book in my dorm before heading back up to the Great Hall to eat. Luna was right, running on an empty stomach was a really bad thing and when I ate too many rabbits as a wolf, I had horrid gas for days.

Luna and I liked to be the first ones to dinner on full moons because we got the good food before everyone else and we could get a medium rare steak or two. I'd have preferred rare, but didn't want to draw attention to myself.

Luna came in and sat with me just as I'd finished piling my plate high with food, and Millicent shortly after that, but she sat down the table and away from us.

"_Is she going to give us any problems tonight?" _Luna asked, giving a slight nod in her direction.

I glanced up from my food for a moment and just shook my head. _"She runs on the opposite side of the grounds from where we normally run. She's not very daring, so she stays close to the lake." _

We shared a light chuckle and went on eating.

No one questioned why Luna sometimes ate with me; it was just understood that she was there by my choice, and no one else had any say in who I ate my dinner with.

We'd just finished eating when I smelled her again, but it was different this time.

Hermione breezed past us and I couldn't stop my eyes and head following her, wanting to follow her to her table.

Luna, seeing and smelling what was going on, grabbed me by the arm and hauled me out of the Great Hall and outside into the empty courtyard. "No, Pansy," she said, taking my shoulders and shaking me. "Snap out of it!"

My breathing was heavy and I could still smell her and see her. She was ovulating; she was in heat.

It didn't affect Luna like it did me because she wasn't a lesbian like I and my beast were. Yes, it sounds strange, but my wolf was also a lesbian. Don't ask me how it works, that was just the way it was.

My wolf was prowling just below the surface, pacing, wanting to run back to the female and show that we were worthy to mate.

She got the better of me and I started toward the castle again, but Luna caught my wrist and took off toward the forest, nearly dragging me behind her. My mind was blank, desire filling it; thoughts of defense were lost to me.

Luna didn't stop until we were past the game keeper's hut and well away from Hermione's scent.

I was brought back to myself when Luna pinched my nipple and twisted.

"Ow!" I jerked away from her and rubbed my breast.

"I'm sorry!" she said, making sure her throat was showing as she looked at me and apologized. "But you needed to be shocked back. Your beast was gaining control of your actions."

"I know," I sighed, lowering her head. "No need to show throat right now, you're forgiven."

The night was approaching; the sun just barely peeked over the horizon.

"Should we shift now instead of waiting?" Luna asked as we headed toward the clearing in the forest at a quick pace.

"Yes," I nodded. "It's easier for me to keep myself if I do it willingly." I slipped out of my clothes as we reached the clearing and let my beast slide out of my body. In a movement so swift it you blinked you would have missed it, I was a wolf. My fur was the same jet black as my hair, save for my chest and front right paw, which were white, my eyes gone from light green to a deep amber color.

Turning around, I saw the dirty-blonde wolf sitting on her haunches waiting for me to do something.

"_We should probably stay in the forest until it's really dark," _I lie down and rested my head on my paws.

Luna padded over and lay next to me, nuzzling her snout into my neck and sighing at the contact. It was something we both craved; we needed the touch and warmth of others like a fish needed water to live.

"_So, you like her?" _Luna's voice was soft.

"_No," _I huffed, _"she's in heat, Luna. You know what happens when I smell a woman who's ovulating." _

"_Horn-dog," _she allowed a wolfish snicker to escape her throat.

"_You know it," _I teased and licked the side of her face playfully before jumping up and bounding around her. It was the typical "play with me" puppy hop, wagging my tail and nipping at her.

We spent about an hour just messing around in the clearing, playing and wrestling with one another until there was a movement in the trees and we looked up.

A large centaur was standing there with his bow out, pointing at us. "Mangy dogs," he growled.

"_Mangy?" _I looked at Luna for a moment. _"Let's show him just how mangy we can be." _

"_Took the words right out of my mouth," _Luna crouched and growled and snarled at the centaur, distracting him as I grabbed our clothes in my mouth and ran for it.

We took off in the direction of the castle, too fast for the damn half horse to catch us, and we knew he wouldn't follow us, so we headed toward the Quidditch Pitch and slipped under the stands.

"_Did you see the look on his face when he couldn't catch us?" _I snickered. _"For a half horse, he really isn't all that fast." _

"_We're smaller and more agile," _Luna's dreamy voice laughed. _"I doubt even a crumpled horned snorkack could catch us." _

I didn't even attempt to convince her that the creature she spoke of did not exist. Best to just let her believe what she would, and leave it at that. Those who attempted to explain the myths to her ended up with a splitting headache most of the time from arguing with her.

Just as I was going to suggest we go hunt some rabbits, my nose caught that wonderful scent again, but I was in control this time.

"_Granger is out here," _I said, following the scent up into the stands and catching sight of her as she sat on one of the bleachers, looking out on the dark pitch, her wand illuminating the area around her.

"_Are you going to her?" _Luna asked. _"If you are, I'm not coming with you. I want a rabbit, so this would be the perfect chance to get it. You'll be here and not hogging all of the good ones." _

"_Just go, then," _I rolled my eyes at her. _"I think she's crying." _I definitely heard sniffing coming from her direction.

"_It's called PMS," _Luna snorted before bounding in the opposite direction.

I knew I wasn't supposed to be seen, was told specifically not to be seen, but what harm would it do? It wasn't like she'd know it was me, or even know that the wolf she saw was actually a human most of the time.

Moving forward to her, I gave a slight sneeze to let my presence be known.

Quick as thought, she had her wand and she was pointing it at me. I squinted and pulled my head back slightly at the brightness of the spell still illuminating the wand.

"Where did you come from?" Granger frowned at me, staying a safe distance away.

I moved forward a step and lowered my head so that the light wasn't shining in my eyes anymore. Her scent wafted around me and I had to fight to keep control of myself, but I kept myself at bay. My wolf disagreed with me, but that was too damned bad. I may be in her body, but it was still my mind.

"Stay back," Granger pointed her wand at me still, and I could see tears rolling down her cheeks. "Please, I don't want to hurt you, just turn and leave. Go, please."

I stopped advancing on her and, instead, sat down and looked at her, my head cocked to one side. I did my best to give her an "are you ok?" look and sort of waved my white paw in the air in a "nice doggy" kind of way.

I enjoyed playing the part; it was always fun to just run around and play, and to comfort.

"You're not going to hurt me, are you?" she frowned, sitting down on one of the bleachers.

I straightened my head and started panting, wagging my tail. It wasn't acting; the scent rolling through my nostrils had me very happy, indeed.

"Come here," she patted her knee and held out her hand to me.

Moving slowly toward her, I nudged her fingers with my nose before pressing my head into it and licking her forearm.

Her skin was so soft, smooth, and she tasted wonderful. A mixture of salty and sweet, from what one could only imagine. My mind wasn't up to imagining where they came from at the time; and if the true wolf half of me had its way, I'd have been humping Granger's leg at that moment.

Good thing I'd practiced controlling my beast.

Sitting on the step with me, she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me close to her.

_Shit! _I thought as my nose was forced into her hair. _Smells so good. Mate; my mate. NO! What am I thinking? It's Granger! She isn't pack!_

"I don't understand," I was jerked back to reality by her voice. "How could Ginny do this to me? She told me she was over Harry, and now she's head over heals for him again? What sense does that make? I mean, we were together for over a year, and then suddenly she wants him again?"

_What? Granger and the Weasley girl were an item? Or, had been an item? Sounds like they broke up because the red headed bitch got tired of Granger. Stupid bitch, didn't know what she had. _I stopped my thinking when I felt my fur becoming damp and realized Granger was crying again.

"And now I've got these mixed feelings," she went on, sobbing into my neck. "I don't know why, but Parkinson has been being nice to me, and I like it. I shouldn't like it, but I do. But at the same time, I think she may be up to something. I don't know what it is, but if she is it can't be any good."

My ears perked when I heard my name and I tensed slightly as the wonderful smelling woman clung to me for dear life. Dear God I wanted her; I wanted to be human and take her and make her feel better. I'd be careful with her; I wouldn't break her with my strength.

_Take her now, _my wolf insisted.

_You're disgusting, _I snapped and blocked her out.

I sat there with Granger, allowing her to cry all over me for hours until she stood and wiped her eyes.

"Thank you," she swallowed. "I know you're just an animal, but you really helped me." She kissed my forehead and ruffled my ears. "I think I'll call you Orinda."

I just looked up at her, realizing that I was so close to where that smell was coming from. Her crotch was level with my eyes face and I had to fight to keep myself from taking in a nice long whiff.

Fucking wolf instincts; made me feel like some kind of freak.

"Take care of yourself, Orinda," Granger smiled at me and kissed my head again. "I hope I see you again sometime."

I placed my white paw on her thigh and gave out a light bark before turning and bounding away.

I raced back to the other side of the pitch where I'd left our clothes beneath the stands and found Luna lying there, waiting for me to come back. Blood stained the fur around her mouth and she looked full and content.

"_Your father is going to be so mad at you," _she barked at me._ "I'm not dumb enough to let myself be seen by a human."_

"_I can fix that," _I gave her a wolfish grin and ran back toward where Granger was walking out of the stands.

I barked and tugged at the hem of her robes with my teeth, trying to get her to follow me.

"What?" she frowned at me. "What is it, Orinda?"

Taking hold of her robes in my mouth, I pulled her in Luna's direction and she got the idea of what I was trying to do and started running along side me beneath the stands.

I lead her to where Luna was still lying on top of our clothes, keeping them hidden.

"Oh," Granger's eyes widened as she held her lit wand up to see better. "Hello there. You have a friend, Orinda."

"_Orinda?" _Luna's voice sounded appalled. _"She named you and everything?" _

"_Shut up before I rip your throat out," _I demanded, while still panting and wagging my tail at Granger.

"_You wouldn't hurt me like that." _

"_You'd heal," _my voice was cold. _"Now, you can't tell my father that I allowed myself to be seen without revealing that you were seen as well." _

"You're both very beautiful dogs," Granger said, kneeling between the two of us and patting Luna on the head, who gave a soft whine, trying to hide her snout to keep the blood from being seen. "Aw, you're shy," she laughed. "But I really do need to be going, it's getting late and it's way past curfew." She hugged me around the neck, and scratched Luna behind the ears before taking off again toward the castle.

"_That was very dangerous of you to do," _Luna stood and growled at me.

"_Live with it," _I snapped back at her. "_I couldn't have you running off and telling my father what happened. Now you won't."_

"_I wouldn't have done that and you know it." _

"_Call it covering my tracks," _I sighed, plopping down and resting my head on my paws.

"_You are so lucky that you're an alpha and I'm too afraid to say what I want to say," _Luna flopped next to me and nuzzled her nose into my neck once more, a sign of her submissiveness.

"_I've let you get away with too much tonight already," _I heaved a great sigh and closed my eyes. _"No alpha would ever have allowed a beta wolf to call her dumb." _

"_I'm sorry," _Luna swallowed. _"Please forgive me, that was rude and I wasn't thinking." _

"_Whatever," _with that, I was finished talking for the night. We fell asleep there, side by side.

When I woke, I was curled around Luna's naked human body and she was cuddled into mine, quite content to stay where she was. I could never imagine being a submissive wolf; content to be protected by those stronger than myself.

I'd always taken care of myself since I turned ten. If I got into trouble with my father, my mother did not try to protect me and the same the other way around.

I shook Luna gently by the shoulders. "Wake up," I said. "It's Saturday and the Quidditch Teams are having their tryouts today so we need to go."

She woke easily enough and we stood, naked as the day we were born and unashamed. Luna had a wonderful body; small, but still curvy in all the right places and her skin was a delicious creamy white. It was a shame that she was straight.

_You don't want Luna and you know it, _my wolf snarked.

_Shut up._

Gathering my clothes and getting dressed, I thought about the night before. Granger had weird feelings about me and liked that I was being nice to her, and she was suspicious of me at the same time. She thought that I may be planning something against her. If only she knew what really ran through my mind while she was hugging "Orinda" last night.

And what my wolf was thinking; the disgusting bitch.

As I buttoned my jeans and reached for my bra, I heard a gasp and looked around to see Granger standing there, staring at me and the half naked Luna.

"I'm sorry!" she said, covering her eyes. "I didn't- didn't mean to intrude. I was just seeing if… well, I saw two dogs out here last night and I was seeing if they were still here."

I shot a grin over at Luna before speaking up. "No dogs here, Granger," I laughed.

"Why are you two half naked?" her voice cracked as she tried to keep looking away but couldn't help glancing over at us now and then as we continued to dress. "I didn't know you two were together."

"Sometimes," Luna smiled her far away smile as she pulled her panties up over her hips and reached down for her skirt. "We're not really an item, though. So have at her, Hermione. Pansy is all yours."

I smirked as I pulled my t-shirt over my head and draped my robes over my arm before walking toward her.

"N-no, I don't think so," she tried to chuckle.

"That hurts, Granger," I said, bracing myself against her scent. "You didn't like what you saw?"

"No, that's not it," a deep blush crawled up her face and my smile grew. "I – you have a beautiful- I mean you're beautiful but I -."

I stopped her with a small laugh. "It's a joke, Granger," I told her. "Just messing with you. You won't, uh, tell anyone what you saw, though, will you?"

"Of course not," she looked at me finally, still blushing. "But, you haven't seen a black and white dog with a yellow one have you?"

I looked over at Luna and she shrugged. "Sorry, Hermione," she said. "I've never seen any dogs at all around Hogwarts. What about you, Pansy?"

"Not that I can say," I gave her an apologetic look.

"It's fine," she said. "Maybe it was a dream; but it felt really real."

I nodded and looked around to Luna who had finally finished dressing and walked over to the two of us.

"_She has no idea," _I laughed to Luna.

"_Make sure it stays that way, Pansy." _

"_Whatever." _

"I'm just uh… gonna go to breakfast, then," Granger said, stumbling backwards as she tried to get away from me.

"We're headed there as well," Luna smiled. "Why don't you walk with us? Tell us about these dogs you saw. Maybe they were actually womblelots trying to protect you from something!"

I rolled my eyes at Granger and gave a smirk as we began to walk, listening to Luna ramble on about some made up creature that guarded unsuspecting people from evil.

Luna walked between us, and I breathed very little as Granger's scent was still quite strong.

When we reached the Great Hall, we all went our separate ways and I took a seat away from my classmates. However, fate was not in my favor that day as Millicent sat beside me.

"You smell her, don't you?" she hissed to me, quietly so only I could hear. "You want her."

"For an omega wolf," I sneered at her, "you talk as though you know the first thing about what being an alpha like. The kind of control I have over my beast; trust me, pup, it's much more than you will ever have."

"I can't help but notice," she looked me in the eyes, a challenge, "you didn't deny it."

"I owe no weakling such as you an explanation or answer," I snapped. "And if you challenge me again, I will accept it and you will die."

"It was not a death challenge," Millicent couldn't hide the fear in her eyes. "It's a challenge for the right to mate."

"Then you are in a weak Pack," I laughed. "In my Pack, any mating challenge is a death challenge. Besides, you don't like women; you only want her because I want her."

The truth of my words shone in her eyes, but so did her fear of what I would do to her.

She left, then, not daring to say another word to me.

"Bitch," I muttered to my eggs and continued with my meal.

**A/N: Ok, so read and review and maybe I'll be able to crank out another chapter in the next couple days. However, I am going to see The Phantom of the Opera on Saturday, and I'm taking two lovely ladies with me so I'm gonna be kinda busy. **


	3. Control

**Disclaimer: Again, they're not mine. At least, none of the characters so far are mine. There will be some of my own making in the near future.**

**A/N: So, here is where the sexual element comes in. Like it or not, werewolves are sexual creatures. If you don't like it, don't read.  
**

**Control**

Three hours later found me back at the Quidditch Pitch, watching the Slytherin captain run tryouts. I thought about it, but decided that it wouldn't be fair to other teams. With my reflexes and heightened senses, the Seeker position could all too easily be taken from Draco.

As usual, Quidditch began to bore me after about twenty minutes and so I decided to take a walk down the edge of the lake.

Of course, as seemed to be my luck lately, fate did not favor me and a slight breeze filled my nose with that delicious scent and I felt a shiver run through my body. She was close, within twenty feet and I wasn't ready for it. I had to steal myself, feeling another shiver rack my body as the scent grew stronger and stronger, ever more tempting.

"Are you all right?" her voice seemed to come from nowhere but, after looking a moment, my eyes caught her sitting against a large bolder, a book open in her lap.

"Of course, I'm all right," I nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"You kinda went ridged for a moment and I thought you were shaking," Hermione frowned.

"Slight shiver is all," I shrugged, not daring to approach any closer and shoving my hands in the pockets of the jeans I wore. They were itching to touch Hermione's face, and many other places besides. I couldn't give them the freedom they wanted, and so I physically blocked the temptation.

Hermione stood up and started toward me, holding the book in her hands. "I have a question," she said, holding out the book. "Normally I would ask Professor Slughorn, but I don't think I should bother him."

I took a closer look at the book and saw that it was a Potions book. "Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. "Hermione Granger needs Pansy Parkinson's help? Someone tell The Prophet."

Blushing, she went on to asking me something or other, bringing herself closer to me. At first, I attempted to listen, and then it was impossible as her head was right next to my own and I wanted to bury my face in her hair, her neck, and mark her as my own. I resisted, deciding that I really didn't want to be put in the hospital wing for mental reasons.

If someone were to lean over and bite your neck until you bled, wouldn't you think they were crazy? Well, that was exactly what marking her would have meant, and I opted for not being thought of as insane.

I answered her question, surprised that the answer was so easy. In fact, the book was open to the page where the answer was staring her in the face.

"Thanks," she blushed. "I'm sorry, it's just I've been kind of distracted. I'm not sure why, but I suppose everyone has times like that, don't they?"

"Yeah," I nodded, breathing through my mouth so as not to inhale her scent too much. "I've had kind of the same problem lately." Lie. I knew what was distracting me, but I couldn't very well tell her.

Ha, what kind of conversation would that start? "Yeah, Hermione, I can't concentrate on anything but the smell wafting from between your legs and wanting to bite your neck until you bleed." The thought made me nearly laugh, but I stopped it as it bubbled to the surface.

"-your summer?"

Shit she was talking to me. "Huh?" I frowned. "Sorry, kinda zoned for a moment."

"I was just asking how your summer went," she raised an eyebrow, but smiled when she said it.

_Dear God, don't ask that, _I thought to myself. My summer had been full of training and hunting, and killing rogue wolves. I didn't want to tell her about that. "It was all right," I sighed. "Nothing really out of the ordinary happened." Lie. "I did go to America for a week, though," I added. Truth. "My father had some big meeting to attend in New York."

Actually, it was more than a big meeting. It was a meeting with the Vampire Council to negotiate the release of one of our wolves that they had taken against her will.

"What does your dad do?" she asked, genuinely interested.

"Oh," I waved my hand, "politics. Kinda boring really."

My wolf snickered, but otherwise remained quiet.

"I've always found politics kind of interesting," Hermione countered, leaning against a tree, looking at me with her beautiful kind eyes.

"Well, I've grown up with them," I swallowed hard, forcing my hands to remain in my pockets. "When you've been around it all your life and hear nothing but legal terms over dinner, you start to hate them."

_Make your move! _

_Shut up, _I growled at my wolf.

"I suppose that would happen," Hermione rested her head against the tree and looked up into the sky for a moment. "It looks like it might rain."

"It will," I said, not thinking. I could smell the rain coming.

"How do you know?" she raised an eyebrow. "It could pass over."

"True," I nodded, covering my slip up as nonchalantly as possible.

"Are you going to head into the castle if it does?" her eyes met mine again and I clenched my fists in their prison.

"No," I shook my head. "I like the rain; it kind of makes me feel better after a long week to walk in it."

"Oh," she looked somewhat disappointed. "I was going to see if you wanted to maybe go to the library and study, but if you'd rather play in the rain, then that's fine as well."

"What makes you think I'd want to study?" I smirked, letting out a light chuckle.

"I just saw you coming out of the library yesterday and, well, I thought maybe you were having trouble with something and needed help or something," she looked me in the eye the whole time she spoke. It wasn't something I was used to; and to be honest, I loved it. She wasn't afraid of me like my pack girlfriends had been; she faced me proudly.

Then again, she didn't know I could rip her throat out at any given second.

"I was studying for Potions," I said. "And I finished that homework already."

Before she could say anything else, rain began to fall from the sky in a light drizzle and I smiled at her. "Gonna run on in?"

"I don't think so," she looked at me for a moment. "You're not the only one who likes the rain, Parkinson."

"Pansy," I said, not realizing I'd said it until it was too late.

"What?"

"Call me Pansy," I looked into her eyes. "And I'll call you Hermione."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Because we were enemies or years, and I still don't know what to think of you being nice to me," she crossed her arms over the book and cocked her head slightly to one side.

I looked at her for a moment; my gaze locked on hers and something passed between us. What it was, I had no idea, but she stood straight and sighed before speaking again. "Is it so hard to be honest with someone?"

"When it's something the other person wouldn't understand," I found myself saying, "yes."

The rain was coming down harder now and both of our hair was soaked, as were our clothes. "And you think I wouldn't understand?"

"There is nothing to understand," I lied. "I was merely answering your question."

"Whatever, Pansy," she rolled her eyes at me and walked away through the pouring rain toward the Quidditch Pitch, which was now more

As she walked away from me, I could feel the ache growing between my legs. I wanted her; wanted to go after and ravish her until she was marked as my own.

I was losing my control; my wolf trying to take over my body by force. Shit, I knew what I needed but couldn't get it. Not one gay female wolf around and I was about to lose it.

Bolting toward the forest as fast as I could go in the opposite direction of Hermione, I fought my wolf.

_Let me out, _it demanded.

_Fuck no. _

Deeper and deeper into the forest I ran. I needed someone to be with me; to stop me from turning back and finding her.

_LUNA! _I called to her mind and it was more a scream to her.

_What's wrong, Pansy? _

_Come to the clearing in the forest, my beast is fighting me again. But this time, I don't know if I'll win or not. _

_I'll be there as soon as I can. Should I shift?_

_That remains to be seen, just get to the clearing. I'll meet you there._

With that, I headed toward the clearing we'd been in the previous night. Dodging trees and branches and shrubbery, I nearly tripped over various small creatures running around the ground. Irklings chattered at me, but backed off when I let out a low menacing growl.

When I reached the clearing, I tore out of my clothes and paced back and forth, head held tightly in my hands.

_You want to let me out, _my wolf sneered. _You want to feel the freedom of it; admit it. _

"I admit nothing to you," I growled out loud. "I am in control; not the other way around."

_You lie to yourself. _

"No," I slammed my fist against a tree, making it shudder. "No matter how good it may feel to let you go, I will not have you loose here at the school. Especially since…" I trailed off, glaring at the tree I had just punched.

There was a loud and angry hoot as an owl, disturbed from sleep flew off high above.

The pounding ache between my legs intensified and, had the wolf had her way, I'd have been humping the tree. Remaining in control, needing the full control I normally had, my hand that was not supporting my weight against the tree trailed down my body; even as the rain continued to pound down on my body.

_What are you doing?_ My wolf was confused; I had never before needed to resort to this.

Ignoring her, I found myself and began rubbing, hard and fast, sending jolts of electricity through my body. I moved near viciously against myself, closing my eyes against the pleasure beginning to course through my body. After a minute or so, my wolf began a low, lustful panting that told me it was working.

_More, _she demanded. _Hard; now._

Spreading my legs, I slipped my hand slightly lower and started fucking myself with two fingers, rubbing my clit at the same time with my thumb. I moved hard, violent, and began panting myself, making small noises as images of Hermione crashed through my mind.

Imagining the taste of her flesh and the feel of her warmth beneath me and the look of ecstasy that would grace that beautiful, innocent face as I made her mine; it was all too much for me.

I heard and felt Luna come into the clearing and move behind me, but I didn't stop; couldn't stop.

I felt hands sliding up my back as I panted and groaned Hermione's name over and over. They went up to my shoulders, the touch so light that it was barely there before she raked her nails down my flesh and I cried out as the pleasure of that pain ran through me.

"More," I moaned, adding another finger and quickening my pace even more. "More."

Luna's long nails dug into my ass and I felt her lips on the back of my neck, moving around to the right side of my neck.

"No," I gasped. "Not there."

I felt her kneel down, her mouth sliding down my spine until it reached my hip, her nails scratching into my leg and over my back still.

"Please," I begged and my voice was desperate as I could hear my beast howling in the wonderful agony I was putting us both through. "Now, so close."

Luna's lips were on me again, at my hip and I could feel her teeth start to graze my skin before a sharp pain ran through my body and I felt them sink into my flesh. She bit hard, and it was sweet at the same time.

My body jerked, my wolf howled even louder and I cried out, moving my hand even faster as I rode out the earth shattering release that I had needed so desperately.

As my body began to calm, Luna pulled me down into her lap and wrapped her naked body around my own, whispering soft words to me as I shook. She told me it would be all right; that we would talk to my father and ask him what could be done.

"We don't have to tell him we were seen," she said, cradling my head against her breasts as I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. "But we need his advice, Pansy. You can't deny that."

"I know," I nodded, opening my eyes again and looking up at her. "Thank you, Luna," I said, looking at her and trying to convey what I was feeling. "You didn't have to do that, though. I know you don't like women."

"My alpha needed my help," she said, her faraway blue eyes looked down at me, understanding. "I am glad to have been able to offer that help. I could tell you weren't getting what you needed, and so I swallowed my pride and helped you."

"Thank you," I repeated, closing my eyes as my wolf collapsed in my mind and went to sleep.

The rain was still falling on us; it had been the whole time and yet we didn't care. It added to the emotion of the moment and I swore that the dark clouds above reflected my mood perfectly.

"We need to get you to bed, Pansy," Luna whispered to me, kissing my cheek lightly. "You need to rest and try to gain control again before you write to your father."

I nodded, but said nothing as I weakly stood and began redressing myself in my soaked robes. Luna followed suit and we said nothing as we made our way back to the castle. There was nothing that needed to be said, and nothing that I wanted to say.

**A/N: Ok, so let me know how you liked it! Read and Review and i'm working on the next chapter. **


	4. Consequences

**Disclaimer: Not my characters, I just like to mess with their lives. **

**Consequences  
**

_My Daughter_

_I realize that this must be a very difficult situation for you, Pansy. You have always been so in control, and suddenly, out of nowhere, a girl whom you have been around since you were eleven snatches that control from you. I imagine you feel unbalanced and unsure of yourself, and that is understandable. _

_You must not become unstable! _

_You did the right thing in ah… distracting your beast with your own pleasure. And be sure that you thank young Luna. It seems she helped you a great deal. _

_We will need to meet; to discuss what and how for you to go about your school life. This poses a problem, as I'm sure you are aware, and have mentioned that this girl, this Hermione Granger, is in a fair few of your classes. _

_Your mother is insisting on her opinion… but I'll allow her to tell you that when we see you. _

_It will have to be tonight, Pansy. We will meet you in the Shrieking Shack and have our discussion. _

_Be well, my cub. Know that I love you and all will be well. _

_Love,_

_Your father_

"Shit," I groaned, covering my face.

"What's wrong?" Millicent frowned.

"None of your damn business, bitch," I snarled at her before standing and storming out of the room, not even finishing my lunch.

It was now Sunday and I needed to meet my parents in the Shrieking Shack tonight?

I stormed through the halls, just walking to walk and not caring where I was going. Which was a mistake because, as fate would have it, I caught a whiff of Hermione. Doing the sensible thing, I turned tail and ran in the opposite direction; headed for my room.

Throwing myself on the bed, I looked around my privet room, and sighed. Having a wealthy and powerful father had its perks, I had to admit. By request of my father, Dumbledore had given me a privet room on the fifth floor behind a portrait of some idiot knight surrounded by goblins.

"Why so down?" one of my paintings giggled at me. I looked to see which it was and realized it was the one of the first leader of my Pack, Alex something or other. Of course, he looked quite young, and he had been when he'd died. He was killed by my great-great-great-great grandmother, who then took over the Pack.

"Why are you such a loser?" I snapped back at him.

"Oh, troubles in young alpha land," Alex leaned back on the couch in his painting. "What is it?"

"Like you'd even know," I rolled my eyes. "My grandmother killed you before you even had a chance to find a mate."

"Were you challenged in a battle for a mate?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

"None of your damn business," I growled. "Why the fuck do I keep you here?"

"I suppose that's a fair question. I am rather annoying, aren't I?" he giggled again.

"Alex!" a shrill voice screeched from across the room and a smile spread across my face as I looked over to the source.

Great Grandmother Alice stood there in her painting, hands on her hips. The portrait was very old, as it had been painted just after her take over of the Pack. She looked to be about twenty seven, though she'd died at about one hundred and twenty, still young by the life expectancy of our kind, killed in a war between our Pack and another.

From what I had heard, as her body fell to the ground, our Pack gave a great collective roar and put everything they had into slaughtering their enemies. Blood flowed like water and saturated the earth beneath the swarm of furious wolves.

When the battle was over, Grandfather Luther took his mother's place as Pack Leader, holding the head of the enemy Pack Leader.

"Honestly, granddaughter," Grandmother Alice cut her glance to me, "why not just burn his painting? This room would be much less annoying with him gone."

"You always told me we should remember our fallen enemies," I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes," she said, "remember. Not look at them every day of your life."

"I have bigger problems, Grandmother," I sighed, letting my head fall back against my pillow.

"So dramatic," Alex threw his hands up and I stood and walked toward his portrait. "What?" he snorted. "Are you going to beat up a painting?"

Not saying a word, I lifted his frame and flipped it so that he was looking at the stone of the wall.

"Very mature, pup," his voice was muffled but he fell silent, probably going to another of his portraits.

"Rest, young one," Grandmother Alice gave me sad eyes. "You will need it if you are to meet with your parents tonight. I heard him talking to your mother about it; all will be well. Trust me," she winked, "I know what it is that is happening to you."

"Then just tell me!" I demanded, ready to punch the wall.

"It is not my place," she shrugged. "Now calm yourself and rest; I will see you later." With that, she walked out of her frame and disappeared.

"Old ass cryptic woman," I glared, picking up a book and flopping back down on to my bed.

I tried to read at least a little, but I felt sleep pull me into its embrace and I was gone.

I woke to a hand gently shaking me and Luna's voice in my ear. "It's nearly sunset, Pansy," she said. "We need to go get something to eat and get ready to go."

"You're coming, too?" I looked groggily up at her, frowning.

"Your dad sent me a letter," she nodded. "They want me to accompany you tonight."

"Oh," I nodded and stood, moving to my dresser as I pulled my clothes off and searched for a pair of loose black pants and a tight black t-shirt.

"Why all the black?" Luna's voice was soft, far away and innocent sounding.

Too bad it was ruined for me by the knowledge that she was not very innocent. That she had, in fact, ripped out the throats of three wolves that had challenged her.

"It fits my mood," I shrugged, slipping into the pants. "Plus, if I shift, I don't care if these are left behind."

"I'll carry the damn clothes," Luna rolled her eyes then grinned at me, trying to make me laugh.

"Thanks," I gave her a weak smile. "Nothing is really going to change my mood right now, though."

"What if I told you dinner is coming here?" she flopped back on to the bed and smirked at me.

"What?" I frowned.

"I ordered us a couple rare steaks each and some potatoes and stuff like that," she shrugged off the vegetables. "We missed dinner, so I made a trip to the kitchens. Your old house elf works here, so she was more than happy to comply. She seems really happy that you got your dad to let her work here instead of at the manor. Frankly, I'm surprised he allowed it, considering she knows about us."

"Vesta knows what will happen if she even thinks about breathing a word of it," I sent her a glance to show how serious I was. "We had a very long talk with her before we allowed her to leave the manor."

"Why did she want to leave?" Luna asked, sitting up and cocking her head to one side as she watched me get dressed.

"She was afraid of the other Pack members," I explained, pulling my hair into a ponytail. "She knew that we wouldn't hurt her, and that you wouldn't, but some of the others in our Pack are ass holes and wouldn't stop pestering her."

"Why not take care of the people bothering her?"

"Trust me," I gave her a grave look, "we took care of them. We don't let anyone mess with what belongs to us. You know that, Luna, I'm surprised you would think we'd have allowed them to go unpunished."

"I'm just surprised you let her free," she shrugged.

"We are not cruel people, Luna. We knew she was afraid of the Pack and so we gave her permission to work here. We still own her; she's not exactly free."

"What do you mean?"

"We never handed her clothes," I said, straightening my hair with a wave of my wand. "My father just brought her here and asked Dumbledore if she could work here instead."

"I see," she nodded and moved over to examine Alex's wall facing portrait. "Did he annoy you again?" she smirked, knowing the answer.

Alex was often punished in such a manner; he just never learned when to shut up.

There was a loud _CRACK _and Vesta, my family's house elf was standing in the middle of the room holding two large trays. "Hello, Mistress Pansy!" she squeaked, smiling widely at me. "Vesta has not seen her in a long time."

"It's good to see you, too, Vesta," I gave her a small, weak smile and took the trays from her hands.

"What is wrong with Mistress?" Vesta frowned, her ears lowering as they normally did when she went from happy to confused or scared. "Vesta is not in trouble, is she?"

"No, Vesta," I sighed, sitting cross legged on my bed and digging into my first steak furiously.

"Is Mistress's beast bothering her?"

"Yes," I nodded, chewing and savoring the flavor of the well seasoned cut of meat, "but father is going to help me. Thank you," I added as Luna sat beside me and echoed my thanks. "That will be all."

"Let Vesta know if she can be of any service to Mistress Pansy," the elf squeaked before popping out of sight again.

I continued eating, suddenly realizing how hungry I was, not to mention nervous about meeting with my father. Luna seemed to realize my anxiety and so kept quiet as we attacked our steaks and vegetables.

"I need you to talk, Luna," I sighed, suddenly annoyed with the silence. "The quiet is getting to me. I need to hear some kind of noise right now; it'll help keep my nerves down."

"Why are you so afraid of seeing your father?" she frowned, looking up at me.

I looked at her, eyes narrowed. "If you were the daughter of the Pack leader, what do you think would be expected of you?"

"I know that you're supposed to be strong," she said, holding up her hands in defense, "but you're also only sixteen. I'm sure he won't be angry about this. He's always been very understanding."

"I'm going to have to tell him I was seen," my voice was hallow. "You're safe; he won't know that I lead her to you."

"If he asks," Luna pushed her plate away from her, "I will tell him. I have to, and he knows that we run together."

"It's my fault," I flopped back on my bed, closing my eyes. "If it comes up, I'll take responsibility for it. I won't put you through the punishment for something that isn't your fault at all."

I thought back to the last time one of our people revealed himself to a human, a muggle at that. He was still limping a year later, which said a lot considering how well our kind healed. Granted, he was also hunting the human he revealed himself to, and human hunting was a _huge _offense and had been outlawed by our kind for hundreds of years.

Hell, we were discouraged from having sex with humans let alone eating them.

"He won't do that to you," Luna placed her hand on my shoulder.

"I know he won't," I closed my eyes and exhaled a deep breath. "If I explain… well, we'll just see won't we?"

"We will," my friend nodded and kissed my cheek, "and I'll be right there beside you."

**A/N: Next chapter is in the works. Let me know what you think. Please excuse my typos and such if I missed any. **


	5. Meet The Parents

**Disclaimer: The original HP characters do not belong to me, however I will be adding a few of my own in coming chapters. **

The run to the Shrieking Shack would have been a long one to any human. For us, two werewolves, it was nothing; even in human form. Luna and I loved running and so it was second nature to us.

_Nervous?_ She asked, looking at me as we ran instead of at the path before us.

_Shut up,_ I hissed through her mind, ending all conversation

I wasn't angry with Luna, but she was right: I was nervous. Nervous about meeting with my parents in the cruddy little shack. I was sure to be reprimanded and possibly punished after I told my father what I had done. A werewolf's punishment is much, much more than a mere grounding to ones room or being sent to bed without supper. Werewolves were punished physically.

Most of time, it involved the one being punished being beaten to within an inch of their life by the Pack Leader; my father. Sometimes, if the crime was severe enough, the Pack Leader would kill them for either giving our kind a bad name or betrayal. Of course, in my case, I knew my father wouldn't kill me. It wasn't like I had hunted, killed, and eaten Hermione for sport, as some werewolves would have found fun. I had simply come to her in my wolf form. She didn't even know it was me.

_You want her to know, though, _my beast snickered at me. _You want her to know about us. _

_Enough! _I slammed the door shut between my beast and I in my mind. I didn't need her picking at me, riling me up into anger before going to see my father.

If he sensed any hostility in me, my father would become worried and would probably restrain me. Like most people, I do not like to be held down against my will.

It had been done in the past, when I lost control of my emotions. My anger would get the best of me and I would shift, my beast tearing out of my body to make itself known. To tell everyone around me that I was mad and would not be ignored.

After the first time it happened, they no longer took the chance and restrained me at the first sign of anger. Even after I'd become much more controlled, they still treated me as they would a child having a temper tantrum. I did not appreciate the lack of confidence they had in my excellent self control.

The memories carried me all the way to the rickety gate that swung in the cool breeze before the Shrieking Shack.

I could smell my parents were in there already, but there was something off about their scent. I'd expected them to be angry, or at the very least cross with me.

To describe the way an emotion smells is rather difficult. They smell the way one would expect them to smell, really.

Anger: Burning rubber.

Sorrow: Rain.

The scent that was filling my nostrils, however, was that of perfectly ripe fruit.

Joy.

"They're happy," Luna whispered to me as we moved through the gate and toward the house.

"I noticed," I nodded, frowning. "I'd be lying if I said this is a shock to me. Might as well get it over with, though."

Luna followed behind me, head directed downward in respect of her Pack Leader's presence.

Moving through the door and toward the softly glowing living room, we left footprints in the thick layer of dust that covered the entirety of the floor. Dad had started a fire and was talking animatedly to my mother about the birth of a new pack member.

_Joanna must have had her baby, _Luna mused, but I ignored it.

I moved into the room first, head held high and face completely straight. Luna came in with her face turned down to the floor still, pulling her hair to the side to show her throat to her alphas.

My mother was sitting on the old dusty armchair, the stuffing spilling out on to the floor. Her long black hair and tanned skin were flawless, and her bright eyes shone in the fire light as they caught sight of her only daughter. Father, with his short dark hair and arctic blue eyes, smiled widely at me as I walked into the room and smiled around at my family. We were a small family, relation-wise, but we were good for each other.

"Pansy," Dad smile at me and moved to pull me into a tight hug, which surprised me and it must have shown on my face because my mother let out a loud laugh.

"What is it, Pansy?" she smiled at me. "Were you expecting for your father to rip your head off?"

"No," I said, pulling away from my father and kissing his cheek before moving to hug my mother. "But I also didn't expect you to be happy with me."

"We have no reason to be angry with you, Pansy," Mom frowned, standing and wrapping me in her embrace.

Not yet...

"Luna, dear, come here!" Mom smiled after we'd finished our hug.

Luna walked forward, lifting her head having now been acknowledged by one of her alphas. My mother wrapped her in a warm hug and kissed the top of her forehead.

"Thank you for being there for my daughter, Luna," she said, running her hand through Luna's blond tresses.

"She's my best friend," Luna admitted. "I would do anything to help her."

"Thank you, Luna," Dad laid a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her. "I will remember this, and as I'm sure my daughter will."

Luna looked up and smiled at me, which I returned with a small nod before turning to my father. "There is something else, Dad," I sighed. "Something I didn't mention in the letter but I have to tell you before you say anything."

"You kept something from me, Pansy," his face became blank as he sensed my change of emotion. "That disappoints me."

"I just wanted to tell you in person, Dad," I looked down, ashamed of myself as my mother sat once again, gesturing for Luna do sit down on the couch across the room.

"Then tell me," his voice was now flat as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"On the last full moon," I looked my father in the eye as I spoke, "Luna and I shifted in the forest before starting to run. We ended up in the Quidditch Pitch and I heard someone crying so we went to investigate." I glanced at Luna and saw that she was looking at the ground again, a deep blush creeping up her cheeks. "I caught sight of Hermione Granger and decided to see what was wrong with her. Luna had nothing to do with it, Dad, I promise you!"

"You revealed yourself to an outsider?" he growled, glaring. "At school, none the less?"

"No! She only thinks a dog happened across her!" I stood my ground as my father advanced on me. "I only wanted to comfort her, Dad. I don't know why, but I wanted to and I did and I didn't mean to endanger the pack, and-."

"Enough!" my father roared at me. "You know the rules! You know the Pack Law!"

"Yes, I know Pack Law, father," I didn't back down from him. "Pack Law states that if we reveal our nature to an outsider, it is grounds for imprisonment or even death. I did not reveal my nature; she thinks a dog, which she calls Orinda, just happened to come to comfort her."

"She named you, as well?" my father nearly shrieked. "And I suppose you didn't leave after she named you, did you? You're willing to be treated as a common pet!"

"No, father!" I stood tall. "I was helping someone in need; someone who only wanted someone, something, to listen to her!"

My father let out a loud yell and punched a hole in the wall behind me, leaving his face a fraction of an inch from my own, yet I did not cower.

"Mr. Parkinson," Luna's voice was soft and weak, but clear in the air, and he snapped his attention to her.

"What?" he growled.

"I swear that Pansy's intentions were entirely honorable, sir," she swallowed, eyes moving to look at my father. "Hermione doesn't know that Pansy is anything but a dog."

"Isn't it odd, dear," Dad looked to my mother and tried to calm his voice, "that there would be a random dog running around a school's grounds where there are normally are none?"

My mother bit her lip and looked away. An affirmative answer.

"Seems as though your idea is the only choice here, Alana," my father kept looking at my mother for a moment before looking back to me. "You will invite this young woman to our home for the Christmas holidays, daughter," he said, running a finger down my cheek. "In the mean time, you are to keep being nice to her. If you see her in your beast for again, make sure it is outside of a full moon so that there will be no suspicions. As it stands," he added, his voice softening suddenly, "she will be your mate. Your mother seems to think that your failure to resist her is proof that you are mean to be with her. When you bring her to our home, Pansy, you will introduce her to your true nature. Get her to accept you, and take you as her mate, or you know what will happen."

"She'll be killed," I swallowed hard, knowing that I had no choice.

"Put those charm skills to use, Pansy," Mom said, looking me in the eyes. "I'm sure you don't want to lose her."

"I will not lose her," I said, looking into my father's eyes. Not a challenge but a confirmation that I wouldn't give up.

"For your sake, Pansy," he said, kissing my forehead, "I hope not."

**A/N: I know this is short but life has been hectic lately. Let me know what you think! Please, read and review! Feedback is always great!**


	6. Complications

**Disclaimer: They do not belong to me, do not make any money off of them. **

The task my father had put on me was one that would require planning; a lot of planning, actually, considering the circumstances. After all, if I were Hermione, I would be wary of tricks coming from me as well. Ever since we'd started at Hogwarts, I'd given her plenty of reasons to doubt me and my change of attitude.

As time began ticking by, faster than I would have cared for, I began to weave myself into her life more and more. Some of the time, though, she didn't really know it was me.

At least three times a week I would find her sitting in the stands of the Quidditch pitch, sometimes crying, sometimes just watching the stars above. Some of the time I would make myself known to her, but other times I kept to myself and just watched her as I sat out of sight. Watched her cry and talk to herself as she wiped her eyes with her sleeves.

Seeing her cry broke my heart; which worried me because, seeing someone cry had never before bothered me.

Maybe she _was_ meant to be my mate, even if she didn't know it.

She would sometimes talk about me out loud or to 'Orinda'. Telling me about something I'd said to her that day, or how I had picked up her quill for her, or even just smiled at her.

The night after I had actually initiated a long lasting conversation with her, though, it was the day before Halloween and a week before the full moon. I didn't plan to reveal myself to her when it came, because I had decided that I would only do a partial shift; which was something only dominant wolves could do.

I had a feeling Hermione would be out on the grounds and so I needed to keep hidden from her.

My partial form, while half human and half wolf, was still considered by many to be my more impressive shape among my people. Shifted, I stood on two legs at about six feet tall. My body covered in fine black fur, save for my right hand, which was white, and the tip of my tail, also white.

Not to sound conceited, but I found myself to be a pretty imposing half beast.

As I made my way on to the grounds for my rounds that night, I caught sight of Hermione sending two third years back into the castle and began to walk toward her. Luckily for me, she was not ovulating, though that only slightly lessened my attraction to her scent.

"All fear Granger," I smirked as I drew level with her, "the moment killer."

"They're not supposed to be out here," she shrugged.

"What are _you_ doing out here, though?" I frowned. "I always cover outside at night."

"I thought maybe you'd like some company instead of being alone," her beautiful face shone with innocence and sincerity. I wanted to reach out and run my hand through her hair but I stopped myself.

"You don't have to worry about me," I smiled and gave a shrug. "I normally go in right after my rounds."

"Oh," she nodded. "I'll go the other way, then. Someone is already covering my rounds in the school."

"No," I touched her arm as she started to turn away from me. "You can join me on my rounds, if you really want to."

"Ok," she nodded again and we walked in silence for about fifteen minutes before I couldn't stand it anymore.

"So," I started, "tomorrow is Halloween."

"I suppose it is," Hermione gave a slight chuckle. "Do you have any plans?"

"Not especially," I shrugged, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

"Nothing with Malfoy?" she raised an eyebrow at me.

"Oh, dear Lord, no," I threw my head back and laughed. "That ship sailed a long time ago."

"Oh?" a frown creased that beautiful face and I wanted to smooth it out.

"It didn't work out," I lied. "And now he's too wrapped up in self pity to notice _anyone_. It's all rather annoying, to be honest," I admitted, shrugging.

"I see," her voice as surprised, which made me smile to myself. "I thought you were still dating him."

"No," I shook my head, and we fell into silence again for about another ten minutes before I asked, "what about you? Any plans?"

"Not really," she shrugged. "Ron is going to spend it with Lavender and Harry with Ginny." In that last, I could smell the faint scent of burning rubber and chuckled inwardly.

"So are those two finally admitting they like one another?" I asked, knowing it would hurt her, but also knowing I had to. It was what I would have asked before I knew what she didn't think I knew.

"I suppose," a pained expression flitted across her face and she quickly changed the subject. "So, I'm probably just going to study for that Transfiguration quiz we have next week."

"Like you really need to study," I laughed.

"I just like to be sure," I could see a blush creeping up her neck and across her cheeks. She shivered and I realized she was only wearing a thin sweater over her arms.

"Here," I took off the jacket I'd been wearing and put it around her shoulders.

"But you'll get cold," she protested.

"No," I smiled, "I won't. Trust me."

Still giving me an odd look, she accepted the coat and shoved her hands in the pockets as I had done.

"This is really warm," she commented, running her hands over the leather on the outside and examining the fur lining of it. "What kind of fur is this?"

"Not sure," I sighed. "My dad got me that for my birthday last year."

"Is there a heating spell on it?"

"Oh, no," I shook my head. "No, it's the fur."

"Interesting," she fell into silence, still examining the fur.

Walking on the outskirts of the forest, we moved in a comfortable silence. I didn't feel the need to fill it with words, and neither did she.

Around about midnight, I was going to suggest we go back into the castle when my ears caught the rustling of leaves. Sniffing the air around me, I frowned as the scent of another werewolf filled my nostrils.

Millicent.

_What the fuck do you think you're doing? _I snarled to her.

_Forcing your hand_. Those were the only words she said before I saw a large brown wolf pounce out of the shrubs in front of us.

I quickly stepped in front of Hermione, who gasped and nearly fell back as the wolf began to advance on us, snarling and snapping her teeth. Millicent was going to force me to reveal myself to Hermione.

Little did she know Hermione had to find out sooner or later. Well, looked as though it would be sooner.

_Luna! _I felt her jerk awake in the castle. _Write to my father immediately. Millicent is forcing me. I have no choice. Tell him to make the arrangements; Hermione and I will be coming for a visit. _

_ Ok, I'm on my way to the owlery. _

How did things get to be so fucked up so quickly?

"Pansy!" Hermione shrieked as I started toward the wolf and she lit her wand. "Don't!"

"Don't run, Hermione," I turned my head to look at her. "Trust me, please. Do not move from that spot. I can stop her. I have to." With that, I started my advance again and willed myself into a partial shift.

Faintly, I heard Hermione topple over, smelled her fear and knew she wouldn't, couldn't, scream.

Good.

Millicent snarled and lunged at me, but I caught her around the throat and slammed her down into the grass, not wanting to truly hurt her. She jumped up again and recoiled to make her next leap.

Backing up a good hundred feet, she crouched low and I stood, ready for her.

_She knows now, _she taunted.

_ Leave, _I growled at her, baring my teeth.

_No._ She charged, but, instead of lunging at me again, she darted around me and headed straight for Hermione.

_NO! _I ran after her, catching up easily and wrapping my arms around her belly before picking her up and biting down into the back of her neck. She whined and howled, and I shut her up the only way I knew how, short of killing her.

I threw her against the largest tree around and knocked her out.

A quick battle, as I'd known it would be. A weak submissive wolf like Millicent was no match for a dominant one like me.

I heard soft whimpering coming from behind me and turned my wolf head to see Hermione huddled in a ball on the ground, covered in my jacket. It broke my heart to see her like that and, moving forward, breathing heavily, I picked up the jacket so I could see her.

Hermione was shaking horribly and looking right into my eyes.

"Don't hurt me!" she pleaded. "Please, please, please!"

My ears fell and I knew my eyes betrayed the pain I felt at seeing her cower away from me like she was.

I took a step back from the scared young woman and finished shifting into my full beast form, knowing she'd recognize it and know what had been going on all along.

"Orinda?" she frowned, her voice shaking as much as her body was. "Pansy? What?"

I quickly shifted back into my human form and looked at her, no mask or anything between us. Only truth. My clothes, long since torn, lay behind me and I stood, naked, for her to see.

Vulnerable.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," I looked at her, falling to my knees and bowing my head for a moment. "I'm so sorry. She forced me; this wasn't mean to happen yet. You weren't supposed to find out until Christmas. It's just that Millicent decided she was going to force my hand and-."

"What does Millicent have to do with anything here, Parkinson?" Hermione demanded, curling herself in my jacket once more.

"That's her," I nodded over to where I'd thrown the brown wolf.

She looked and what she saw was a naked Millicent lying there, unconscious.

"How many of you are there?" tears streaked down her cheeks as she questioned me.

"Only three here in Hogwarts," I told her. "You'll see, Hermione. There are things that you don't understand. Things I need you to understand, and things you won't want to do, but have to be done. For instance," I sighed, "you will come with me right now and we are going to the Shrieking Shack until my parents are able to come for us."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" she got up and started to run toward the castle but I was in front of her before she got even ten feet.

"I wasn't asking, Hermione," I said, my eyes blank and my heart hurting as I spoke. "You _will_ go; I have a lot to explain to you, and little time to do it in. I've done all of this for you, Hermione," I added. "I've been keeping watch over you. Even when you didn't see me, or Orinda, I guess, I was there. I don't know what it is, Hermione," I couldn't seem to stop saying her name. "But I need to protect you, and taking you to my home is the only way to do so right now."

"I'm not going!" she tried to get around me but I grabbed her arm.

"Hermione!" I pulled her close to me and shook her gently. "Do you know what happens to an outsider who knows our secret?"

She just looked at me, tears falling like rain and I wiped them away before answering my own question.

"You'll be killed," I whispered to her. "But, there's a way out of it. A way not entirely unpleasant, but we need to get to safety before I tell you anymore about it. Please, Hermione, for both of our sakes, trust me."

She seemed to struggle with words for a while, but I stood there, holding her by the arms and looking into her eyes. It seemed as though she were having trouble finding any words at all but she was calming. She was afraid of me, and I couldn't blame her; I would be afraid of me too.

"Y-you're naked," she said, finally, keeping her eyes on my own.

I had to smile at that. "That tends to happen when I shift. My clothes are torn, considering the body I was in wasn't meant to be clothed," I explained. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"A little," she nodded, and I could see her blush coloring her pale cheeks.

"I could shift again," I said. "But I don't think you want that."

"No," she swallowed hard and shook her head. "It's too much; I don't know what's happening."

"Something life changing, Hermione," I sighed, my voice sad; heavy with the weight of my meaning. "I give you my word that you will not be harmed while I am here."

Keeping one hand on her arm, we began walking toward the forest. As we approached the Millicent's naked form, huddled on the ground, she made a grab at Hermione's feet. I moved quickly and kicked her in the head, knocking her out again.

Hermione looked ready to run screaming again, so I did the only thing I knew to calm her down.

I pushed my lips to hers and she stopped moving and trying to get away. Though, that could have been because, a moment later, she fainted. I caught her easily, put her over my shoulder and began to run.

How had everything gone so wrong, so quickly?

**A/N: Read and Review! Let me know what you think and I have the next chapter all set to be published. **


	7. Going Home

**Disclaimer: None of J.K.'s belong to me, only the ones I made are mine. **

Luna was there when I entered the Shrieking Shack carrying the unconscious Hermione, and she had clothes for me.

"Millicent attacked you?" she asked, frowning as she set a dusty pillow on the couch to support Hermione's head when I moved to lay her down.

"She did," I said, pushing a few strands of hair out of Hermione's face. "And I ended up knocking her out."

Luna gave me a look.

"What?" I snapped. "What else was I supposed to do? I can't kill her right here on neutral ground!"

"Are you going to report her to her alpha?"

"More than likely," I nodded, pulling on the pair of pants my friend had brought before slipping into the black t-shirt. "You owled my father, right?"

"Yes," the blonde flopped down on the arm chair my mother had been sitting on during our meeting. "What do you think he'll do? I mean, she was going to find out soon anyway, but does the fact that you were attacked change anything?"

"I don't know, Luna," I sat on the floor against the couch and held my head in my hands. "We won't know that until my father gets here."

"Shouldn't be too long," Luna said, gazing out through the broken window. "I owled him about an hour ago and sent your owl."

That made me smile; my owl was a large black one with glowing yellow eyes. Her name was Tierra, and she only cooperated with those that she knew well. If anyone tried to use her that she didn't know, she'd just fly away from them, hooting indignantly.

After almost an hour of sitting there, I stood and began pacing, keeping an eye on Hermione at all times. Watching her steady breathing as she slept, I realized she was no longer unconscious, but simply sleeping. She looked so innocent and it broke my heart to know that she was getting involved with some of the least innocent people this planet had to offer.

"How do you think she'll fit in?" Luna's voice was soft, tentative.

I stopped my pacing and looked at her, disbelieving. "She won't be the first human to be part of the Pack, Luna," I growled.

Holding her hands up defensively, she looked down at the floor again.

Before much more time passed, there was a loud _CRACK!_ and my father was standing in the middle of the room, eyes ablaze in the glow of the fire Luna had started in the hearth.

I looked at Hermione quickly and, somehow, she was still asleep, and then looked back to my father.

"What the hell has happened?" he demanded, storming over and backhanding me across the face. I stood and took the punishment he offered me. Better this pain than the pain he would inflict if I'd tried to duck. "How could you allow a weakling such as the Bulstrode pup to catch you with your guard down?"

"I'm sorry father," I said, wiping a line of blood away from my mouth.

"What's going on?" a small, meek voice came from behind me and I whirled on Hermione to find her sitting up against the corner of the couch, huddled beneath my jacket.  
"It's ok, Hermione," I sat next to her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't worry. He won't hurt you."

"But he'll hurt you," she said, touching the new line of blood dripping down from the corner of my mouth.

"He is my Pack Leader and my father, Hermione," I kept a straight face and glanced at him. "He has the right to hurt me if it is suitable for the occasion."

"What did you do?"

"I revealed myself to you before it was time," I swallowed hard. "But I had no choice," I added, turning my head to Dad.

He looked around, saw Luna but left her alone, then looked back to me. For a minute, his breathing was heavy and he seemed to be trying to calm himself down. As he was going to speak, there was another loud _CRACK _and my mother was standing next to him, eyes full of concern.

When those eyes fell upon Hermione, she rushed forward. "Stand with your father, Pansy," she shoed me away and sat next to the quivering brunette. "I will sit with Miss. Granger. Talk to her, dear," she added to her husband.

As I stood before my father, looking him square in the eye, I waited for him to speak. Waited to be struck again; I expected to be struck again.

What I didn't expect, though, was for him to rush forward and hug me close to him, encasing me in his huge form. "I'm sorry, Pansy," he whispered to me. "I lost my temper; I should have talked to you before I slapped you. But now, seeing the way you look at her, the gentleness you treat her with," he sighed and rested his forehead against my shoulder, "it reminds me of when I met your mother. I no doubt had the very same look in my eyes."

As he continued to hug me, I could hear my mother speaking gently to Hermione, but couldn't make out what she was saying.

My father and I held one another for a few minutes longer before I felt a hand on my shoulder. Pulling away from Dad, I turned and was inches away from Hermione as she stood by me.

"I'll go to your home with you," she said, blushing. "Your mum explained enough to me that I realize it really would be in my best interest. I don't really want to die, yet."

I smiled at that last and blushed. Her scent wafted around me and my beast shivered and sighed, content to be touching the object of our affections.

"That's very logical of you," I said, finally able to speak again after a minute.

"I've made the arrangements," Dad said, pulling his wife to his side and pushing his beast from his eyes. "You're not off of school; they will be sending work and notes for you three. I'm not sure how long it'll take, but it is until further notice."

"What did you tell them?" I asked, curious.

"Do you honestly believe I haven't told Professor Dumbledore what we are?" he raised an eyebrow. "He is the only one who knows, and the only one I had to talk to in order to make these arrangements. And so, I told him the truth."

"Oh," and that was all I could say about it.

My mother took Luna's hand in her own and pulled Hermione into a one armed hug before apparating away with them.

"She still doesn't realize what is expected to happen," Dad sighed, squeezing my shoulder.

"No," I shook my head. "I don't know how well that'll go over with her. For someone as strong willed as Hermione, the will to live may not be as great as the pride in her."

"Then you'll have to turn up the charm, dear," he smirked. "You're my daughter; I know you can do it."

With that, I felt sick for a moment and then I was standing in the middle of the foyer at the Pack mansion. My mother and two friends were standing near the stairs waiting for us.

_Best to get it over with in the morning, love, _my mother's voice sighed in my head. _The sooner you break the news to her, the sooner she can get over the shock of it. Luna will go to her room and you take her up to your own room and put her to bed. _

Yeah, room. If it could be called that. My "room" was actually more like a villa. It had its own bathroom, living room, bar, and two bedrooms.

_Ok, _I nodded at her and moved toward them.

"We have a lot we need to talk about, Hermione," I sighed, offering her my hand.

Still looking a bit skeptical, she took my hand and began walking up the stairs, leaving Luna and my parents behind.

Luckily, none of the Pack members were hanging around the mansion, so we got to my room without incident and I closed the door. Hermione dropped my jacket on one of the black leather couches in the living room and looked around, eyes wide.

"This is your room?" she frowned as I moved toward the door to the guest room and led her inside.

"I'm the only child of the strongest Pack in Europe's alphas daughter," I smiled at her. "This is more a symbol of status than that of being spoiled, really," I explained. "The biggest, baddest have the best. That's just how it is in the Pack."

She looked around the room, mouth hanging open and I smiled even wider. I had personally decorated every inch of my room. For the guest room, I had gone with a very "Henry the Eighth" time era look. The bed was enormous and not for no reason, to be honest. Most of the guests who had stayed with me were other werewolves and, as I've mentioned, we like to sleep knowing someone is right beside us when we can.

I didn't plan on that, though. Too soon.

"Do you like it?" I asked, hopefully.

"It's amazing," she sighed, laying her hand on the bed and walking along beside it. "I'm afraid to sleep on this," she admitted with a chuckle. "I don't want to ruin it."

"That's what the house staff is for," I frowned. "They come in around noon and make the beds."

"House elves?" Hermione turned her skeptical eyes toward me.

"No," I rolled my own eyes. "They are paid, young werewolves who need a place to stay so they work for us."

"Oh," she looked surprised and I had to laugh.

"However, I'm sure that a house elf delivered that," I nodded at her trunk at the foot of the bed.

"Thank God," Hermione sighed, falling to knees in front of her trunk and opening it, pulling out a lacy night gown.

I felt my eyes widen as I had a mental image of Hermione wearing the skimpy gown flash through my mind. "I have to get to bed," I said quickly. We need to talk in the morning, but right now, let's just get some sleep, ok?"

Nodding, she gave me a small smile and said, quietly, "goodnight."

"Goodnight," I nodded back, leaving the room quickly.

_Go back, _my beast growled. _She wants us!_

_ No, _I refused. _I'm running this show. It's my life, not yours. _

_ For now. _

I blocked the beast from my mind and rushed into my room. My own room was decorated in black and silver, very modern looking. I quickly shed my clothes and flopped onto my bed, writhing sensually against the cool silk sheets on my warm, bare skin.

The silk was a welcome touch, but not as welcome as that of another person beside me would have been. I wanted someone with me, but that wouldn't happen tonight.

Exhaustion overtook me within minutes and I fell into sleep's warm embrace; lying atop the silk sheets and hugging a matching pillow to me.

My dreams were filled with innocent brown eyes and long, heavenly brunette hair. My hands traveled over soft skin and the sweetest of breathy voices whispered words of encouragement to me.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!"

I bolted upright in my bed and looked around, my vision still blurry from sleep. Finally, I caught sight of Hermione standing about five feet away from my bed, her face a brilliant shade of scarlet.

"What's wrong?" I frowned, jumping up and automatically realizing the answer to the question.

I was naked.

Fighting the temptation to roll my eyes, I just knelt on my bed and looked at her for a moment before speaking. "You saw me naked last night," I raised my eyebrow.

"It was dark last night," she pointed out. "It's very bright in here." Her eyes were directed at the floor and I looked around the room.

It had many windows and, even with the curtains covering them, the room was very bright as the sun made its presence known.

I sighed, and wrapped the top sheet around me as one would a towel. "Is that better?" I asked, chuckling lightly.

Hermione looked up, tentatively, and nodded before sitting on my huge bed, four feet away from me but she still sat.

"I don't understand the taboo against nudity," I broke the silence after about a minute. "Our bodies are natural; we were born naked, so what's the big deal?"

_Even if I was furry, I was still naked; so it's not really a lie, _I reasoned with myself.

"It's just that I think of being naked as a privet and intimate thing," she blushed even deeper and I had to smile.

"I see."

I didn't say another word; waiting for her to initiate the conversation I knew she was looking to have.

"Why am I here?" she asked, after five minutes of silence.

"Because you know our secret," I said, shifting so I was sitting Indian style.

"And outsiders who know your secret are normally killed," she stated. "You told me that yesterday. How do you expect to save my life? Your mum told me that you may be able to keep me alive and then some. How is that?"

I frowned and looked down, now my turn to blush. "I don't know if you will like it," I admitted. "I know I would like it, but you… you have every reason in the world not to want it."

"Would you just tell me straight?" Hermione demanded. "Believe it or not, I do get sick of having to figure everything out."

I looked at her, allowing my eyes to meet hers and hold them as I spoke. "We are allowed to mate outside of our kind," I said, sighing. "But, if we do, the mate we take is our mate for life. And, Hermione," I added, "I will not allow you to be killed."

She stared at me for the longest time before I saw anger begin to cloud her eyes and her eyebrows furrowed into a look of pure rage. "You expect me to be your mate?" she looked ready to slap me. "Just like that? After everything you put me through? We've been semi-friends for only a few months, and yet now, after years of hating me-."

"Hating you?" I raised an eyebrow. "Don't you understand yet? Everything I ever said or did to you before this year was me acting the part."

"What part?"

"The part of a Slytherin," I rolled my eyes at her. "They hate muggles and muggle-borns. They're just hateful in general, actually. I couldn't afford for anyone to know my secret, so I had to act the part. Including following Malfoy around like a lost puppy. This year, though, I decided I was finished with that!" I added, leaning toward her. "I decided I wanted to be my own person and find my own way to keep my secret. I don't want to be the person I was in the past anymore. I want to be myself."

"And what exactly does that mean?" Hermione scoffed at me.

"It means that I don't want to act hateful anymore, because that's not me," I nearly screamed at her, jumping out of my bed. Her comfort be damned, it was time to show her that I was serious. "I'm a very caring and nice person, but I can be cruel when the occasion calls for it. I am to be Alpha, Hermione," I said. "I'm going to lead the Pack one day."

"But why do I have to be your mate?" she spat at me.

"Because I won't let you die!" I slammed my fist against my dresser. "If we are not mated, the pack will insist upon your death and I won't let that happen."

"I don't think that's really your choice, now, is it?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at me, standing and facing me directly. "I refuse to be married only because it _has_ to be that way. Call me old fashioned, but I've always thought love was supposed to be one of the reasons to marry someone."

"You don't know anything about how I feel," I growled at her, no doubt my beast showing in my eyes but she wouldn't understand that. She didn't know that my wolf was trying to burst free of my body.

"You want me to be your mate, so that I can live and my death won't be on your conscience," she placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side. "That sounds about right to me, isn't it?"

"No!" I roared at her, ripping at my hair and fighting against my beast as she rolled to the surface, ready. Her scent was wafting around me again, my beast ripping at my flesh from the inside. It wanted the woman in front of me, and it was determined to have her. "Please, Hermione! Stop making me upset, you don't understand what's happening to me!"

"Then tell me!"

"You wouldn't understand it!" I growled. "You don't have to share your body with a wolf that is always begging to come out. You don't have to have near perfect control to keep from jumping on the beautiful girl standing in front of you!"

That stopped her and me as well. I looked at her for a moment before bolting out through the open window in the living room.

My beast broke free as I hit the woods, but I managed to keep my mind. My body twisted and soon I was just the black and white wolf running through the trees behind my home. Trying to figure out what exactly I was going to do with Hermione, but I needed to get as far away from her as possible right then.

_Coward. Go back! Take her! Punish her!  
_

_No, _I growled at my beast, _I won't hurt her, and I won't let _you_ hurt her either._

Meanwhile:

Hermione leaned out of the window, amazed at what she had just witnessed and heard. Pansy's room was on the fifth floor of the mansion and she had jumped it as easily as if it had been the first floor.

_Pansy has trouble being around me because she wants me so much? _Hermione thought to herself. _She can't just expect me to say yes and accept all of this at a moments notice. She just can't and I can't allow myself to be married, or mated, out of need. No, I would never allow myself to do that. _

The door opened behind her and she whirled around to see Pansy's father, the Pack leader, standing there looking straight at her. His deep amber eyes full of concern and confusion at the same time.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but the whole house heard you two screaming at each other and I thought I should come see what was happening. I'm guessing she jumped from the window and ran off?"

Hermione nodded, not sure what she could say to the man.

"She'll be back soon," he sighed, sitting down in one of the leather armchairs and gesturing for Hermione to sit down as well. She did, for fear of angering the man she's witnessed backhand Pansy so hard she'd started to bleed. "In all honesty," he said, eyes boring into Hermione's own, "there were better ways for her to handle that. Then again, seduction is not her strong point right now. It's what she has been trying to avoid since she saw you on the train, really, Hermione."

The brunette found her voice, finally, and frowned. "That long?" she asked. "Ever since the train?"

"Admittedly, it wasn't as strong on the train as it became the first time she smelled you in heat," he shrugged. "But after that, well, you've been haunting her every dream and every thought, young lady. What Pansy doesn't even realize is that her beast has chosen you as her mate for her. It happens to all of us if we don't choose one by the time the beast is ready. I married my wife two days after our seventh year in Hogwarts. It always happens relatively young."

Hermione looked down at the carpet, not sure what to say to the man in front of her. His mentioning her being "in heat" made her uncomfortable; it wasn't a phrase that was often used for humans of any sort. She just didn't know what to make of the way Pansy and her father talked; it seemed, though she had only just met her, that Pansy's mother was more soft and understanding of Hermione's position.

"But you have put us in a very awkward position, Hermione," Pansy's father said, bringing her attention back to him. "Not intentionally, no, but it must be dealt with. We could wipe your memory, but that would include wiping Pansy completely from your mind and making her move to a different school.

"And for Pansy, to be without you, would drive her completely insane. Knowing that you don't even remember her could possibly open the gate for her beast to take over her life completely; living for her so that she wouldn't have to go through the pain of being without you. It's a very cruel fate that would befall her in the case of wiping your memory.

"Killing you could possibly do the very same to her, not to mention it would mean taking the life of such a sweet innocent young woman as yourself," his eyes softened and the look on his face was like that of a father looking at his misbehaving daughter. How often had Pansy received that very look? "The Pack does not like killing young people such as yourself, but we are very protective of our secret and will do anything to keep it. The last time all witches and wizards knew about us, we were enslaved for three hundred years. We will not allow that to happen again, Hermione. Do you understand me?"

Hermione stared at him, unsure of how to find her voice again. She understood it; she understood that she had one of three choices: Have her memory wiped completely of Pansy forever, be killed, or become Pansy's mate for life.

"I understand," she said. "But I just can't be her mate out of need like everyone is saying needs to be done."

"No one has said that," Pansy's father looked sad. "It is quite obvious that my daughter is completely in love with you. She is unsure of the way you feel about her; that is what has been giving her beast so much power over her actions. She doesn't know if that love is returned. Is it?" he added, raising an eyebrow.

Hermione fidgeted in her seat for a moment, wringing her hands and making small noises of confusion. "I don't know," she said, finally. "It's too soon to know that! She never even asked me out or anything! I've never had the chance to get to know her."

"Then why don't you offer a trial period to her?" he raised an eyebrow. "Mating rituals do not take place until after the first full moon of the spring. You will have plenty of time to date and spend time getting to know my daughter."

"About six months," Hermione said, mostly to herself. "It's still not a very long time."

"It is the best I can do for you, dear," Pansy's father seemed so sincere and he wasn't yelling as Hermione had expected to happen. "The decision is ultimately yours but get to know my daughter and you will see who she really is. Now, I believe it is time to get some food into you. Pansy will join us, I have no worries about that, but you need cooked food, and breakfast is about to be served in the dining room. Come with me, dear." Mr. Parkinson stood and held out his hand to Hermione, offering to help her up.

Tentatively, Hermione placed her small hand in the larger one and she allowed him to pull her into a one armed hug around the shoulders, keeping her there as they walked.

He steered her down the stairs and into the foyer again before turning to the right and through open double doors.

The dining room was huge with a table to match. It was long and made out of a very dark wood. There was room for twenty people at it, but only three were currently sitting at the far end, five including Hermione and Mr. Parkinson.

There was Luna and Mrs. Parkinson, but the other one, Hermione had never met before.

Sitting across from Luna was a girl who looked to be about thirteen with long platinum blond hair that reached down to the middle of her back.

Mr. Parkinson led Hermione to the seat beside Luna before taking his seat at the head of the table with his wife.

"How did you sleep, Hermione?" Luna smiled at her.

"Ok, I suppose," she said quietly. "This is just a lot to take in at once."

"No doubt, dear," Mrs. Parkinson smiled, patting Hermione's hand. "My daughter is a little … off lately."

"A little?" the young blond girl raised an eyebrow. "She's never lost control like that before."

"Enough," Mrs. Parkinson snapped. "Hermione, this is my niece, Rasha."

"Nice to meet you," Hermione smiled nervously.

"Likewise," Rasha nodded as a door to the far left of the room opened and five people came out carrying large platters of food and setting them on the table.

As Mrs. Parkinson began filling my plate, piling it high with eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausage, toast, potatoes, and pouring a tall goblet of orange juice for me, the dining room door opened.

Pansy, now dressed, stalked into the room and toward her little cousin.

Pansy:

"What crawled up your butt and died, Pansy?" my little cousin, Rasha, snickered at me.

"Why is it," I growled, pulling out the chair next to her and sitting down across from my mother, "every time you open your mouth, I introduce my foot to your face?"

"Pansy!" Mom shot her gaze at me as she finished pouring syrup on Hermione's pancakes.

"I'm sure Hermione can feed herself, Mom," I sighed, embarrassed that my mother was treating Hermione as though she were seven years old. "She _is _the smartest witch in our year, after all."

"Shut up, Pansy," Rasha griped at me. "Aunt Alexia is just trying to be a good hostess."

I turned, wrapped my arm around her head and grabbed her hair. "There it is again!" I growled. "How do you not annoy yourself as much as you annoy everyone else?"

My father cleared his throat and I looked over at him. He glanced at Hermione then back to me and I realized how very childish I was behaving in front of someone I was trying to win over.

"Sorry," I muttered, letting go of my young cousin and beginning to pile my plate with food.

As I reached for the orange juice, I saw Hermione just staring at her plate as though not knowing where to begin. It made me chuckle a bit, and she looked up at me, blushing slightly. "Just eat what you can," I advised. "Mum isn't used to eating with humans. She cut back on the portion, but not enough," I tried a smile at her and gestured to everyone else's plate. "We'll eat two plates like this. Our kind tends to eat a lot because we metabolize food quicker."

My dad cleared his throat and I realized that I was babbling, trying to fill the silence.

But Hermione gave a nervous laugh and nodded, beginning to eat from her plate. Obviously, someone had talked to her, and I had a feeling I knew who it had been.

_What happened? _I thought at him as I began to eat.

_You have six months to win her, Pansy, _he sighed in my mind. _And you better damn well do a good job of it. _

I smiled and continued eating. Surely six months would be enough time to get her to come around.

Of course, Hermione finished before the rest of us, but I quickly ate the rest of my food so that she wouldn't just be sitting there watching us eat.

"Pansy, dear," my mother said, patting her lips with a napkin. "Why don't you show Hermione the Lunapar? I'm sure she would find it fascinating." She widened her eyes at me and jerked her head in the direction of the woods behind the mansion where I'd been running only a half hour before.

"What's a Lunapar?" Hermione asked, eyes lighting at the chance to learn something new.

"It's where we meet on the full moon before the hunt," I explained. "And it's where all of our rituals and ceremonies are held. It's also where we keep the books of our history." I folded my napkin and set it on the table.

"Can I go?" Rasha opened her big mouth.

"No," I glared at her.

"Come on! I'm not allowed to go there on the full moon yet! Can't I go while it's not a full moon?" she looked at my father and gave him a lost puppy look.

"I don't see why she can't go with you," Dad shrugged, taking another helping of eggs. "But make sure you blindfold her."

"Why?" Hermione frowned, honestly curious.

"So that she can't find her way back there during a full moon," I grumped, getting up from the table and leading the way out of the dining room. "She's not even supposed to be anywhere near it until she's fifteen."

"You were going there by the time you were five!" Rasha complained as I grabbed one of my mother's scarves and tied it behind her head tightly.

"_I_ am future Pack leader," I snapped, taking Rasha's cloak from the closet in the foyer along with two of my own cloaks. "_You_ are a beta wolf."

"Still not fair."

"Life sucks, doesn't it?" I snarked, handing my cousin her cloak and turning to Hermione, offering her one of my cloaks.

"Thank you," she gave me a weak smile, obviously still shaken from the morning's events. As she wrapped it around her, a surprised expression crossed her face. "This has to have a warming charm on it."

"It does," I nodded, slipping into my own cloak and grabbing Rasha by the back of the neck, steering her toward the back door and Hermione followed beside me. "My cloaks all have the charm on it, seeing as they don't button up like a jacket does."

"Make sense," Hermione nodded. "Aren't you being a little rough with her?" she nodded at Rasha.

"She's a werewolf, Hermione," I sighed. "She _plays_ rougher than this."

"Ah," she nodded again and was silent.

I wished Rasha had not been permitted to come. I'd wanted to talk to Hermione and apologize for the way I had behaved earlier. I wanted to make things right and start over and my cousin was making that difficult to do.

As we approached the woods, in a moment of boldness, I offered my hand to Hermione and was surprised when she took it. I felt a smile spread across my face, but didn't reveal it to her. The stupid grin would only embarrass me and possibly scare her, and that was the last thing I wanted to happen. I had scared her enough for one day.

Hermione's had fit perfectly in mine and it was as though I was in Heaven.

So with one hand blissfully wrapped around Hermione's and the other on the back of my little cousin's neck, I led the way through the trees; never giving a single thought as to where my feet were taking us. Years of attending the Lunapar and its rituals made finding my way there effortless.

**A/N: Read and Review!!! Let me know what you think and I'll update asap**


	8. Time Together

**Disclaimer: None of J.K's characters are mine**

**Time Together**

"So that was Millicent that attacked us?" Hermione asked quietly, not looking at me.

"Yes," I nodded.

"What are you going to do to her?"

"Bulstrode is nothing to worry about," Rasha cut over me as I was about to answer and I slapped her upside the head.

"Annoying little cousins aren't experienced enough to have an opinion," I snapped. "As for Bulstrode, she'll be reported to her Alpha, for whatever good that will do," I scoffed. "She's from a weak Pack; I plan to take it when I am Alpha. Make a legitimate Pack out of it."

"Why hasn't your father taken over it?"

"Because he believes they still have a chance. We are giving them until I take over to better themselves," I flashed my gaze to her to find her staring at me as we walked. "If they don't, it will be my job to take the Pack."

Hermione stared at me for a moment, frowning before speaking again. "What does that entitle? How do you take over a Pack?"

"Kill their Alpha," Rasha said and I 'accidentally' ran her into a tree.

"Sadly, that is it," I sighed. "We're an ancient people, Hermione," I went on, seeing the look of panic in her eyes. "Pack Law is set in stone. Revolutionizing the system is out of the question."

"You can't just, I don't know," she struggled with the words for a moment. "Banish him? Or maybe keep him in a cell or something?"

I looked at her and shook my head. "If only it were that easy, Hermione. The only way to take over a Pack is a fight to the death."

"And what if you lose?" genuine concern flashed through her eyes.

"Then I die," I said. "But, Hermione, I have yet to lose a challenge. I train three times a week to build my strength and strategy."

"You've killed people already?" she looked horrified.

"And what would you do if someone attacked your mother?" I countered her. "They had her cornered in our own territory one night during the full moon. Luna and I were running together and we had to save my mother. Luna sees my mother as her own and I am very protective. We had no other options. That night, three werewolves lost their lives, and one escaped with a torn throat. That was Millicent. So, you see, I owe her one."

Hermione didn't seem to know what to say to that. She just looked at me, eyes concerned and scared at the same time.

As we neared the Lunapar, she finally spoke again. "I suppose I can understand it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it," she said.

"I don't like it, either, Hermione," I sighed. "But it is the way things are done. Here we are," I said, stepping into the clearing in front of a large stone building that might have been mistaken for a mausoleum. There were no doors, just the archway with wolves engraved in the stone.

I took the blind fold off of Rasha and tucked it into my pocket.

"Wow," she sighed in amazement and ran forward.

"Stop," I growled at her and she did as I said, not able to disobey. "You can't go in without at least one alpha in there first." I moved forward, taking Hermione with me and walked through the archway first.

Leading them both down the hall and into the chamber, both Hermione and Rasha let out a surprised sound.

The entire building was made of carved stone, save for the dirt floor. The shelves on the walls held the books of my people's history. Huge tomes, some that were older than even Hogwarts, lined the wall to the right of the two stone thrones at the head of the chamber.

The thrones where, hopefully, one day Hermione would be sitting by my side.

I looked at Hermione and saw her looking longingly at the books. "Go ahead," I smiled. "Just be careful with some of the older ones, they're thousands of years old."

She rushed forward to the shelves and let her hand hover over the spines of the books. "Look at these," she whispered. "They're amazing. Lord knows how many years of history are in these pages."

I moved behind her, my mouth close to her ear. "Nearly thirty thousand," I said. "We made it a point to collect any and all books of our kind. We do not trust other Packs with the information; they may let it leak out into the world."

"And what if I do?"

"I won't allow that, Hermione," I said. "You know the options; no doubt my father told you."

"He did," she nodded. "Be your mate, have my memory erased, or die."

"Yes," I whispered. "I just hope that, maybe, you can someday feel for me the way I feel for you."

"I don't understand that," she said. "How can you love me after only a few months of talking to me?"

"I can't explain it," I swallowed hard. "I want to, but I don't know how. When we meet our mate, we know it. I know this is a lot to take in, and it can't be easy. For that, I'm sorry." I was quiet for a moment, not sure what else to say. After a minute, I reached for one of the newer books and pulled it out of its spot. "Here," I handed it to her and backed away.

Hermione took it in her hands and opened to a page in the back. "It's blank," she frowned. "Why?"

"That is to be my history," I explained. "It fills itself out as my time goes by. It's a newer tradition, but it is still a tradition. My father's is still filling itself out as well. But I thought that I should offer you some of myself rather than keep it all a secret. It'll take a while to read, but we can come here whenever you want. After all," I added, "that is my full life so far."

As Hermione was about to say something, there was a crash behind us and I whirled around, catching sight of Rasha standing next to a shattered stone vase. "This is why young wolves are not allowed," I growled at her. "You just broke great grandmother's vase!"

"I can fix it!" Hermione rushed forward with her wand and repaired the vase as I stood over my younger cousin. "Don't hurt her, Pansy," she said, firmly.

I looked over at her, ready to snap at her but realizing that I couldn't bring myself to do it. Normally, no one ever dared to tell me not to do something, save for my parents. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to yell at Hermione, or threaten her in any way. That said quite a lot about the way she affected me.

"Don't," she repeated.

I looked at Rasha as she cowered under me and back at Hermione. My beast told me to hit Rasha, but my own mind said no.

"Thank you, Hermione," I said, picking up the stone vase and putting it back on the podium. I glanced at my cousin again and saw her staring wide eyed at Hermione.

"You really are meant for her," she said, moving toward Hermione. "She only ever listens to her parents. If you were able to stop her from punishing me… This is amazing." She moved to her knees and bent over, baring her neck to Hermione.

"Um," Hermione looked at me and I smiled at her.

"You've just been acknowledged as dominant," I explained. "Not many humans have that honor."

"Oh," Hermione stared at Rasha. "Uh, why is she still down like that?"

"She'll remain like that until you tell her to get up," I said, moving toward the throne and sitting at the foot of it.

"Um, you can get up," she said, obviously uncomfortable.

Rasha rose and moved over to the bookshelves herself, picking one up and sitting down on the ground to read it.

Hermione made her way over to me and sat at my side, still holding the book in her arms. "I have so much to learn," she said. "And I still have school to finish."

"We'll be going back to school after… well, you know," I said.

"After the ritual or spell?" she looked at my eyes.

"I'd prefer after the mating ritual," I said. "I won't lie to you. The thought of you being dead or not remembering me at all hurts too much to even think about."

"Oh," was all she said. There was an awkward silence before she turned the book over in her hands, opening to the first page and beginning to read.

I sat there and waited. I waited for her to be disgusted at the fact that I had been born a wolf cub and not a baby. She would see the picture of me and run screaming out of the chamber and into the woods. She'd-

"This is you after you were born?" Her voice was quiet and I looked up to Hermione's hand resting under the picture of a small wolf cub trying lying between her mother's paws. My eyes were half open and motions jerky as the enchanted picture looked around, confused.

"Yes," I said, my voice shaking slightly, waiting for the outburst. "It isn't often that one of us is born a wolf."

Hermione studied the picture of me looking up at her, trying to crawl out of my mother's paws. She would just keep picking me up and putting me back in her paws, licking the top of my head.

"It's sort of cute," Hermione said, running her hand over the picture lightly before looking over at me.

The look of surprise must have been evident on my face because she smiled and gave a nervous chuckle. "What?" she raised an eyebrow. "Did you expect me to go running for the hills?"

I had to struggle for a moment before I was actually able to form words. "Yes," I nodded. "I thought you would be disgusted that I was born that way."

"It says you turned into a baby as soon as you fell asleep for the first time," she pointed at the side note under the picture. "I suppose this is sort of weird, but then it's also part of what makes you different from so many others."

I wanted to reach out and kiss her. She understood and she didn't want to run away from me. She accepted that I was born a pup instead of a baby; she didn't just decide to have her memory wiped clean of me. That one small comfort brought tears welling to the surface of my eyes.

"Thank you," I nearly choked on my words. "You don't know what it means to know you aren't disgusted with me."

Hermione continued to read through my childhood, smiling now and then at a picture of me. One of my first steps and others of me frowning or making silly faces at my mother.

It was nice and I never thought she would have reacted so well to it.

Dinner time, dear, my mother's voice slid through my mind. And later I want you to tell me all about it.

Yes, Mother, I smiled, not having realized we had been there so long, and then looked at Hermione again. "We need to get going," I said. "Mum says it's time for dinner. We can come back tomorrow if you want."

"Tomorrow is fine," she said, moving to put the book back on the shelf. "I'd like you to show me around the mansion tonight."

"Sure," I nodded and followed, taking the blindfold and wrapping it around Rasha's eyes. "I can do that."

After lunch, as the plates were being cleared away by the kitchen staff, Mum reached over and touched Hermione's hand lightly.

"Dear, did Pansy tell you about tonight?"

Shit! I cursed myself. I'd forgotten entirely that it was Halloween and that meant that the Pack would be running tonight, even though it wasn't a full moon.

"What about tonight?" she frowned, glancing over at me.

"Well, since it is Halloween, the Pack will be running tonight," Mum explained. "Which means Pansy has to shift as well, because she is present; the question is what do you wish to do? You may accompany us to the Lunapar, and … oh, I don't know," she sighed, holding her head in her free hand. "You must forgive us; we are so used to living exclusively with werewolves, and very few humans.

"We would offer to allow you to stay here, but it would not be safe. If another Pack runs by and catches wind of you… Let us say that it would not be a good idea."

"Pansy mentioned that here are other humans in the Pack," Hermione said. "What do they normally do?"

"Most are animagi," I cut in. "We prefer to run with our mates and not leave them home alone."

"Oh," Hermione gave me a strange look. "Is that how you feel about leaving me here tonight? I know it's not the same thing, but still."

I looked at my mother, and then to my father, who raised an eyebrow and smirked at me. Turning my gaze back to Hermione, I blushed and said, quietly, "more or less, yes that is how I feel."

"Ah," Hermione blushed as well and looked down at her lap. "Well, I could come with you and we could walk together. Would that be ok?"

I looked around to Dad and saw him smile. "I suppose that could work for now," he nodded. "We normally split into pairs, anyway."

Thanks, Dad, I thought at him. What he meant, but did not say, was that mated pairs normally ran together.

I'm not entirely tactless, he gave a chuckled as he stretched his arms. Just keep her safe tonight. You know how some of the boys can be.

I'll rip them apart if they even think about her, I clenched my fists, angry at the very thought of the young males of the Pack. They thought that they could have any girl they wanted, even if they belonged to someone else.

Of course, technically, Hermione didn't belong to me.

Don't get it wrong, though. Mates are not seen as property by werewolves, but we are territorial by nature; no stopping that.

I think they know that, dear, Mum butted in to our conversation. Especially after the last time one of them challenged you for a female.

Damn straight, I let out a laugh, almost like a bark, without meaning to do so and shocked Hermione. "Sorry," I smiled sheepishly.

"Was there conversation I was missing out on?" Hermione raised her eyebrows. I had explained to her that we could communicate telepathically with each other, and she found it fascinating rather than weird.

"Nothing to worry about, dear," Mum smiled, patting Hermione's hand. "Pansy's father was just teasing her."

"I see," she still sounded skeptical but let it drop.

"There is something you need to know, Hermione," Dad said, sitting back in his chair. "Werewolves are not ashamed to be naked in front of complete strangers."

"I've figured that out already," Hermione blushed, glancing at me.

"I'm sure you have," Mum shot a dirty look in my direction.

"I can't help if I don't like pajamas," I shrugged, taking a drink from my water goblet.

"Uh huh," Mum rolled her eyes before looking back to Hermione. "The point is, dear, that we don't want you to be shocked if a few of our female Pack members show up naked. Men will show up shirtless, but normally wear some kind of pants until it's time to shift."

I folded my arms across my chest and sighed. "Don't be shocked by what Mum wears tonight," I smirked. Though I wish it were you wearing only shimmering gold body paint, I thought to myself and immediately felt my mother's foot connect with my shin and I grimaced in pain.

"What's wrong?" Hermione frowned at me.

"My daughter is rather perverted at times," Mum ran a hand through Hermione's long hair. "I do apologize for her."

Hermione couldn't seem to find any words so she just blushed and nodded.

"But you will need something suitable to wear," Mum went on. "I do not expect you to flounce around naked, but I will give you something appropriate to wear. It is, after all, a very important occasion for us."

"I understand that," Hermione nodded.

"Come on," Mum winked and stood up, "we'll go up and find something for you to wear."

Hermione's POV:

I followed and Mrs. Parkinson pulled me level to her, looping her arm through mine and smiling warmly at me.

"No need to feel timid, dear," she said as we ascended the stairs. "I know that Pansy comes on strong at times, but she means well."

"Oh, no," I shook my head. "She didn't do anything wrong, Mrs. Parkinson."

"Ally, Hermione, call me Ally," she insisted. "And you are very kind, but Pansy has done wrong by you. She deceived you and you deserve to feel angry about that, but keep in mind that she did have only the best of intentions."

I thought about that for a moment. She had done a lot that I wanted to be angry about, but I couldn't find it in me to hate her. I couldn't find it in me to even think about leaving the house and trying to disappear all together.

Even after everything, the time I had spent with Pansy in their Lupanar showed me a new side of her. It had been her way of apologizing for essentially lying to me; she offered up intimate information about her. Literally, she dropped her entire life into my hands when she let me read the book with the story of her life. Important parts of her life were printed there for me to see and she'd allowed me access to it all.

"Here we are," Ally's voice yanked me back to reality.

We were standing in front of a black wood door and she opened it, allowing me into her room.

It was much like Pansy's, but even bigger.

Ally led me through the large sitting room and into the bedroom. The impossibly huge bed was covered in bright white silk sheets and piled high with pillows.

"Take a seat there, Hermione," Ally patted the bed and smiled at me. "I'll go through my closet and pick out a few outfits." Opening a door and disappearing through it, I sat there and waited patiently, allowing my mind to wander as I ran my hands over the cool silk of the sheets.

Casting my eyes around, they landed on a picture on the bedside table. I moved over and picked it up, running my fingers over the glass. It was a picture of three wolves, two larger, and one smaller one. The largest was a pure black wolf, and it had to be Mr. Parkinson. Beside him sat a pure white wolf, beautiful and majestic, an almost serene expression on her face. The eyes gave away that it was Ally.

And there was no mistaking the medium sized wolf sitting in front of them both. Mostly black, but the presence of her mother was unmistakable in the white chest, paw and tip of her tail. Pansy was a beautiful wolf, I had to admit.

"That was taken on the night of Pansy's first hunt," Ally's voice broke through the silence and I looked up, startled.

"You're beautiful as well," I said, smiling at her. "I'd never seen a white wolf before."

"It's rather rare," she came out of the closet fully, carrying hangers of clothing. As she began to set out the clothes, she continued. "Even among animagi, actually. White wolves are considered to be precious to our kind, so the few that exist are highly respected."

"And you being the… uh," I couldn't think of the words I was looking for.

"Alpha female, dear," Ally smiled.

"Yes, alpha female," I nodded. "That must make you even more respected."

"Yes, but we do not let that go to our heads," she shrugged. "Now, pick out what you like." She gestured to the clothes she'd laid out on the bed.

Setting down the picture, I turned to the clothes and raised an eyebrow.

"There's not much cloth…," I said slowly.

"No, there is not," Ally laughed gracefully. "I do not own much that doesn't show a lot of skin."

I took another look at her and knew she was telling the truth.

She was wearing a small black shirt that, while had long sleeves, showed her shoulders and was very low cut. It clung to her body to about two inches below her breast before bare skin was again visible until the short black skirt began to cling to her hips and to her upper thighs.

"Hold on," Ally said, placing her hand on my shoulder. "I may have something that might make you a little more comfortable."

A second later she'd disappeared into the closet again and was back out a moment later, holding out an outfit to me.

"Yeah," I nodded, smiling. "This is much better, thank you."

"Of course, dear," she kissed my forehead and hugged me. "Now, you get dressed, and go meet Pansy. She's in her room waiting for you. I have to get dressed, or lack thereof," she added with a wink at me.

With that, she walked back into the closet, closing the door behind her this time.

Sighing, I began dressing myself, smiling as the clothes fit me perfectly.

Catching sight of myself in the mirror as I finished and cast a quick straightening spell on my hair and shaking it slightly, I was pleased with the results and smiled at my reflection. Sure the boots were kind of long but they looked good.

Pansy's POV:

"So you're running with her tonight?" Luna asked, sitting down on my bed, completely naked.

"Yes," I nodded, pulling my short black silk robe over my naked body, since I could smell Hermione coming toward the room. "She agreed to it. I just won't be doing much running, mostly walking."

"Think she'll become an animagus if she chooses to stay with you?"

"I hope so," I sighed. "Now, enough of that talk, she's almost here and I don't want her to hear that."

Luna nodded, standing up and walking toward the window to look out at the woods behind my home. She often just stared at the trees longingly, wishing she could be out there all the time. I knew the feeling; it was like being in a second home sometimes.

My bedroom door opened and I turned to see Hermione walk in, not expecting to be blown away by what was before me.

A low cut, blood red long sleeve blouse hugged her body; the top three buttons undone, revealing more of her than I'd ever had the pleasure to see before. Tight black pants clung to her legs and just below the knee, black leather boots made her look nearly dangerous.

My beast bubbled up inside of me but I pushed her down, refusing to allow her a chance at Hermione before I had even any hope.

"You look amazing," I swallowed hard, moving closer to her and running a hand through her soft hair. "Mum sure knows how to pick out an outfit."

"Thank you," she blushed. "You look… um… ready for bed."

"Not even close," I laughed. "I'm wide awake. I haven't been able to attend one of these for years."

"Me either," Luna's dreamy voice startled me. I had forgotten she was in the room as soon as Hermione had walked in. "I cannot wait until I can get out there."

Hermione turned and caught sight of the naked blonde at my window before turning back with a glare at me. "Am I interrupting something?"

I raised an eyebrow for a moment before beginning to laugh until it hurt.

"I fail to see what is funny here," she glowered.

"I forgot to clear that up, I apologize," I tamed my laughter and tried to keep a straight face. "Luna and I don't really sleep together. You just happened to find us after the full moon when you saw us together. Trust me," I added seriously, "there's only one person I'm interested in… been that way since a train ride I took a while back."

Hermione blushed, a brilliant shade of scarlet, and looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's not as though I have anything to be jealous over."

I felt as though I'd been struck and it hurt, a lot.

"Hermione," Luna warned quietly, "keep in mind that even though we're strong, werewolf hearts are easily broken by those we care for."

"Leave us, Luna," I growled, my eyes boring in to Hermione's.

Without another word, Luna backed out of the room and closed the door behind her.

"So," I huffed, "nothing to be jealous of? Well, if you have nothing to be jealous of, then I suppose I should just have my father wipe your memory."

"Can you blame me?" she snapped right back at me. "I'm trying, Pansy! This is hard for me and the least you can do is understand where I'm coming from!"

"Were you anyone else," I took a step toward her, "you would be flat on your back begging for mercy right now."

"What's holding you back, then?" Hermione did not back down from me. She took a step forward so that our bodies were so close that I could feel her heat against my exposed skin. I could smell her, her anger but also mixed in was passion, and that gave me a shred of hope.

"You know exactly what is holding me back," my voice was quiet and my eyes intense. I was fighting my beast again; she wanted me to punish Hermione, but the idea of what the beast had in mind… no, it was outlawed and I could never do it to her.

My words seemed punishment enough, because a look of understanding graced that beautiful face and she took my hand in hers before looking up at me. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean… But you still need to understand."

"And I do, but it hurts to think that the things you said about me, when you thought I was a dog, may not count for anything," I sighed. "I know you have some kind of feeling for me. We have a chance, Hermione, even if I don't expect you to warm to me right away. I can't really blame you." I bit down on my lip and took a step back from her. She would be in heat again soon, I could smell it coming, but I was safe for the night.

"What's wrong?" Hermione frowned, reading something on my face.

"You'll be ovulating again by the time the full moon is here," I sighed. "It's easier when we're at school. I can run the forest without wondering if you're all right. Here… well, I'm very protective of you here with so many male werewolves. They're rather," I searched for the word, "well, they're males. That says it all."

"Then why can't we go back to school and you can woo me there?" she suggested, sitting down on my bed and crossing one leg over the other, leaning back and supporting herself on her elbows.

My mouth went dry as I looked at her and my beast howled in longing. I knew how she felt, and I couldn't blame her.

"I mean," she went on when she realized I wasn't going to say anything, "we're Prefects, so it'll be easy to have alone time and we're in a lot of the same classes."

I finally found my voice and sighed. "It would only work if we knew you wouldn't tell anyone about our secret," I said, leaning against my dresser. "I've told you how protective we are of it and we can't have it spread around for everyone to know. It's not that I don't trust you, but I know you tell the Weasleys everything, along with Potter."

"I wouldn't tell them," she sat up and looked at me, the sincerity in her eyes almost pleading. "I don't think I can stay away from school for six months. I just can't; it's not in me to be away from classes."

Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair and looked at her. "I'll talk to my father, but I'm telling you right now. You will be coming here for the Christmas holidays. Tradition and all that, you know how it is."

"I can do that," she nodded, her face lighting up. She leapt to her feet and hugged me tight around the waist.

I smirked, not hugging back and simply waiting. After about twenty seconds, Hermione's eyes snapped open wide and she let go of me, realizing that I was naked under that thin silk robe.

"I'm sorry," she blushed a bright red.

"No need to be sorry," I smiled. "I was enjoying it, but didn't want you to think I was taking advantage if I hugged you back."

"That's very polite," she swallowed, shuffling her feet.

"Call it not wanting to get on your bad side," I took a step forward and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "I never want to be on your bad side again, not now that, well, you know."

Hermione nodded, and was about to say something when a loud howl sounded outside and Luna crashed through the door.

"It's time! Let's go!" she was bouncing up and down excitedly, still naked.

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked away, embarrassed.

"Luna," I sighed. "You go on, we'll see you there."

Without another word, Luna opened my window and jumped.

"Do either of you know how to use a door?" Hermione squeaked.

"She's excited," I said, offering my hand to her. She took it and I began to walk us out of my room. "The whole Pack is together, now. When we shift, sure it's always a rush, but when we're with our Pack, it's like truly being home."

"Oh," Hermione nodded.

We reached the back yard where my father was waiting, wearing only a pair of dress pants.

"Hermione," he smiled. "You look lovely."

"Thank you," she smiled back.

' "I hope you don't mind, dear," he said, "but it would be more efficient if Pansy picked you up and ran. The rest of the Pack is waiting outside of the Lupanar."

I turned to Hermione, asking with my eyes if it was all right.

After a moment of struggling, she nodded and allowed me to lift her into my arms. "Just don't hit my head on a tree."

"I haven't run into a tree since I was four," I smiled. "Don't worry."

My father took off running before me, and I followed a few moments after.

Hermione let out a loud squeak at the sudden burst of speed and closed her eyes, arms locking around my neck, clinging to me for dear life.

For me, the run took all of five minutes and I stopped easily in front of my parents before the rest of my Pack. There were loud whistles from some of the younger members as I sat Hermione down on her feet.

She stumbled slightly, but I caught her until she got her balance back.

After a minute, Hermione opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was my mother, bending to give her a hug and those beautiful eyes went wide as grapefruits.

My mother, as I knew she would, was wearing only gold body paint. It was barely splattered over most of her body, but thick enough to hide the most intimate places. Many of the females used body paint, but only my mother used gold. No female in the Pack would ever dare challenge my mother and didn't want to accidentally do so by making themselves look equal to her.

"Welcome, Hermione," she whispered in her ear. "Don't be alarmed, dear; no one here will hurt you." My mother's eyes flashed to me. "I know pansy would never allow that."

Hermione pulled away and nodded, moving back and taking hold of my hand again.

My mother took my father's hand and they turned toward the open doorway to the Lupanar and began moving forward.

"Come on," I whispered, kissing her cheek lightly. "We go in behind them, then everyone else follows."

She nodded and moved with me behind my parents. Behind us, I heard the rest of the Pack whispering excitedly as they moved behind us. Most of them were glad I was finally picking a mate, others were angry that they were not the ones I picked, and the older ones were angry that she was an outsider.

Thank goodness they had sense enough to whisper quiet enough so Hermione couldn't hear them.

My parents moved to the thrones and sat down, keeping their hands clasped between them and I led Hermione to the foot of their thrones. I sat on the step in front of my father's and Hermione on the step in front of my mother's, our hands also clasped.

Now, Hermione caught her first sight of the Pack in the bright light of the fire in the hearth and the torches on the walls.

Most of the women were naked, save for the older ones who had become somewhat shy in their old age.

The men all wore pants or shorts.

The mated pairs stood to the right, holding hands, while the young, unmated wolves stood to the left.

"Welcome," my father's voice resounded through the Lupanar, calling the attention of all forty-seven members of the Pack. "On this All Hallows Eve we come together, the whole of the Pack. Tonight we will run, mate with mate or friend with friend. Tonight we guard our territory from those whom seek to take it."

Inwardly, I snorted at that. No Pack or single wolf would be stupid enough to try and take on the Pack of the Howling Winds.

"Tonight, we are as one with nature and everything in it. We are creatures of nature and we treat her with respect and love.

"The young males shall be our hunters tonight," he gestured to the unmated males. "Each of you is to bring down a deer or bore tonight, but do it so that the animal does not suffer. They do not deserve such an agonizing fate, you know this as well as I; lest we remember how we were once hunted and killed and enslaved so many long years ago."

There was a murmur of agreement among the older members of the Pack and the young ones kept a solemn look on their faces. Clearly stating that they refused to ever be enslaved.

I squeezed Hermione's hand, my eyes connecting with hers, trying to communicate what was about to happen as my parents stood, and we followed.

My I let go of Hermione's hand and untied the sash of my robe before letting it drop to the floor.

Hermione made a slight movement as if to cover me from the view of the Pack but she stopped quickly. A chuckle of laughter washed over the Pack, and I squeezed her hand again before kissing her cheek lightly.

"It's best if you stand to the side for a moment, dear," my mother whispered in Hermione's ear. "We're going to shift, and you do not want to be standing in the way of that. It is neither sanitary nor pleasant."

Hermione nodded and moved to the side of the thrones, looking rather confused as I moved to stand between my parents.

My father began to shift first, then my mother, and finally me before the rest of the Pack.

It was over in the matter of seconds, but the mess left was horrid. When we shifted, a clear thick liquid spilled off of our bodies and splashed on the floor.

I had decided I would only shift half way, and quickly scooped up Hermione so that the liquid didn't reach her. It was never pleasant to have it touch any part of your body, but I was used to it.

Hermione squeaked and didn't seem to know what to do as I scooped her up in my arms, careful not to scratch her with my claws. I moved and stood before my parents again, facing the Pack. My father let out the first great howl and my mother and I followed suit, followed by the whole Pack.

I was the only one in half beast form, the rest were all full wolves. I would probably shift fully later.

As the collective howl finished, the mated wolves bolted first, followed by the mated pairs.

Take care of her, Pansy, my father, a great, pitch black wolf, stepped in front of us and gave Hermione's hand a soft lick.

I gave a nod as my mother, a brilliant white wolf, also gave Hermione's hand a lick. She'll be fine, dear, just don't move too fast for her.

I nodded again and they bolted from the Lupanar. Slowly, I moved through the disgusting swamp of clear liquid before finally reaching the cool night air, the half moon shining high above us.

Setting Hermione down, I looked at her and waited for her to say something.

**A/N: Let me know what you think! R&R and I have some more to put up soon :D**


	9. Comprimise

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of JK's characters. I only own the ones of my own design**

**Comprimise**

"Why didn't you turn into a wolf?" she frowned at me.

I looked at her for a moment then looked to the Lupanar, nodding at clear liquid oozing out toward the grass.

"Oh, I see," she nodded, understanding now. "Well, thank you. I am glad I didn't get any of that on me. Will you explain what it is to me tomorrow, though?"

I gave a sharp nod and began to walk away; when Hermione moved to follow me, I held up a hand, telling her not to. She stopped but stared at me, confused and wondering what I was doing.

When I was about six feet away from her, I finished my shift and stood before her, a full wolf.

Moving forward, Hermione smiled and reached out to stroke the top of my head. "You really are a beautiful wolf, Pansy," she said.

I gave her one of those doggy grins and panted for a second.

I would show her that she didn't need to be afraid of me; that I was really quite playful when I shifted. Maybe it would help, maybe it wouldn't. We would soon find out.

As I was about to get up and lead the way through the woods, Hermione shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

Giving her a confused look, I moved around to her pocket and nudged the end of her wand sticking out of it. My meaning was fairly obvious and she caught it right away.

"Oh, yeah, that might be a good idea," she blushed and I grinned inwardly as she drew her wand and cast the warming spell on my mother's clothes. "Thanks for reminding me. I guess I haven't been thinking clearly lately."

I gave a small bark and chased my tail for a minute, wanting to make her laugh and succeeding.

In fact, she nearly fell to the ground shaking with gales of giggles.

After a little while, I began to lead the way into the woods and Hermione lit her wand so that she could see.

Honestly, I'd forgotten she wouldn't be able to see well. I was just so used to having amazing night vision that I didn't think about Hermione being a human. The way she made me feel made me forget anything that separated us.

The clouds would be clearing soon, and the stars would light the way. I couldn't tell you how I knew that, werewolves just had a strange sense about the weather.

As we walked, I occasionally nudged Hermione's hand with my snout and gave her a grin. She would look down at me and laugh wholeheartedly, throwing her head back and closing her eyes. It was so beautiful and I felt my heart clench every time she did it.

_You are so soft, _my beast growled. _Let me out. _

_Hell no, _I scoffed at her. _No way in a million years. She's mine, not yours. _

_ We'll see. _

_ You're not even a real being! You only exist inside of me, so fuck off. _And with that, I blocked her from my mind.

"Look," Hermione's voice whispered in awe and I glanced at her, seeing her head tilted back and looking to the sky.

As I'd known would happen, the clouds had cleared and left only the beautiful stars above.

I was about to let out a low howl, but I caught wind of Luna and smirked inwardly. She was lurking in the trees, her tail wagging and waiting for the opportunity to pounce on me.

So, I gave her that opportunity.

Turning my back to her, I sat down and stared up at the stars with Hermione.

She pounced and I turned and switched her attack around on her, pinning her down to the ground even as Hermione let out a surprised squeak.

"Oh," she laughed, realizing that she'd seen the wolf before. "Hello, Luna."

Luna gave a small bark and tried to roll me over, but I didn't allow her to do so.

_What gives, Luna? _I thought at her.

_ I got annoyed, _she looked over at the bushes. _The males won't leave me alone, so I decided to run with you for a bit. _

_Fine, _I nodded. The young males in the Pack did have their eyes on Luna, but she didn't like any of them well enough to even think about being their mate.

I got off of Luna and looked up at Hermione, trying to convey to her with my eyes that Luna would be joining us.

Hermione smiled and patted Luna's head and we continued our walk.

As it neared one o'clock, my mother's voice broke into my mind. _Perhaps it is time to take Hermione back to the house. She must be getting tired by now. _

I glanced up and knew my mother was right. Hermione's eyes were fighting to stay open and she was stifling a yawn.

_Okay, _I agreed. _Luna, _I looked to her, _I'm taking Hermione back to the house. She's tired and needs to get back to bed. _

_ Take care, then, _Luna let out a small bark and darted away.

Hermione didn't even seem to notice.

I stopped walking and shifted halfway again. When Hermione turned and saw what I was doing, she yawned again and allowed me to pick her up and carry her the rest of the way to the house. Resting her head on my chest, she closed her eyes and fell asleep within five minutes.

When I stepped up to the door, I had to shake her awake gently and set her down. Opening the door, I allowed her to go in first.

Her feet seemed to lead her up the stairs and toward the bathroom in my room. I showed her where the towels were kept and left to go shower myself.

Ten minutes later, I was human and clean as ever as I stepped out of one of the guest bathrooms wearing one of my many silk robes.

Rasha was waiting for me outside of the door, an eyebrow raised. "Why are you back so early?"

"Hermione was tired so I brought her home," I shrugged.

"I could have looked after her, you didn't have to stay here," she said, following me up the stairs toward my room.

"Yes, I did," I sighed. "You don't understand it, but you will one day."

"Oh, I understand more than you think I do," Rasha laced her fingers behind her head. "You're protective of her, and you don't trust anyone else with her besides you."

"I trust Luna," I shrugged.

"Gee, thanks, big cousin," she grumped.

"You're too young to defend anything, Rasha," I said, opening my door and seeing Hermione curled up on the couch, asleep. "And when you find something worth defending, you'll always want to be the one to do it. You won't let anyone else defend what is yours to defend."

My cousin caught sight of Hermione and looked at me. "I have never seen you look like that at anything or anyone. She's perfect for you, Pansy, that much I can see. I just don't understand how it didn't happen before. I mean, you've been going to school with her for years."

I looked at her for a minute and thought before speaking. "You know how you and Blake are best friends?"

"Yes."

"Well, you may not like him in that way right now, but one day he might be your mate," I leaned against the doorframe, looking at Hermione laying on my couch, now dressed a lacy satin nightgown. .

"Oh, ok, I see now," Rasha nodded. "I suppose I can see how that is true."

"She wants to go back to school," I said, running a hand through my wet hair. "I need to talk to Dad about it."

"I thought he wanted you guys here."

"But she'll be unhappy away from school for so long," I slid down and sat against the door frame. "I don't want her to be unhappy."

Rasha sat down beside me and placed her hand over mine. "You have to remember," she said. "Our secret comes before anything else; if you can find a way to make sure she doesn't tell anyone, maybe he'll let you two go back to school."

"Speaking of school," I frowned, suddenly realizing something. "What are _you _doing home?"

"Turns out Beauxbatons isn't the right school for me," she shrugged.

"You were kicked out of school, Rasha?" I glared at her. "Why?"

"Fighting," she shrugged. "I bounced one of the older girls up and down the hall after she made a comment about my eyes."

"Rasha," I sighed. "You know that people make fun of what they don't understand. Werewolves sometimes have strange colored eyes, but they don't know that. You can't go around doing things like that, do you understand me? A little thirteen year old girl, like you, should not have the strength to go around throwing people like it's nothing."

"I suppose you're right," she sighed. "Maybe I'll try that school in Russia, who knows where Mum will send me next."

"Wherever it is," I smirked, "try not to throw people around."

"I'll try," she laughed. "I was wandering," she looked sideways at me, "could I sleep with you tonight?"

"Sure," I nodded, standing and helping Rasha to her feet. "I suppose it is pointless to sleep alone when you don't really have to."

"Luna said she might come in tonight, too," she said, closing my door behind her and tailing me as I moved to the couch and lifted Hermione into my arms

"That's fine," I nodded, smiling when I saw Hermione's eyes open slightly.

"Mm up," she insisted groggily. "Not asleep."

"Shh," I chuckled. "It's all right, Hermione. Sleep, it's fine. I'm just going to take you to bed."

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she gave a small nod and got comfortable in my arms as I started toward her room.

"Why doesn't she sleep in your bed, Pansy?" Rasha whispered, still following me.

_She's not ready for that, _I let my voice slide through her mind. _Who know when she will be, but that's ok. I'm not going to rush her into something she is quite obviously not comfortable with. _

_ Ohhh, ok, _Rasha nodded as I lay Hermione down on her bed and covered her with the thick comforter.

I stared at her for a moment longer before turning and leading Rasha out of the room and closing the door behind her, a single tear sliding down my cheek.

"Come on," Rasha said softly, taking my hand in hers. "We could both do with a good night's sleep."

"Make that three of us," Luna said, opening the door and pushing it closed without looking. Of course, she was naked; it seemed to be her preferred appearance.

"You didn't have to come in early, Luna," I wiped the tear from my face, not even completely sure why it had fallen. "I know you love to run when we're home, so go ahead."

"No," she shook her wet hair out of her face. "My alpha needs comfort and that's what I'm going to do."

I felt a broad smile spread across my face when she called me her alpha.

She moved forward and took my other hand and both of my Pack members led me into my room, leaving the door open. I slipped out of my robe and put on pair of black satin panties.

"What are you doing?" Luna raised an eyebrow.

"Hermione is likely to come in here in the morning," I explained, crawling on to my silk sheets. "I'm hoping this will make it less uncomfortable for her."

"Good thing I'm actually wearing underwear, then," Rasha laughed, stripping her clothes off down to a red lace bra and matching boy-shorts. Though, of course, whenever she slept in my bed, Rasha always wore underwear. She was one of the few timid werewolves.

"I'm staying naked," Luna shrugged. "Hermione has to get used to it sometime."

Rasha crawled on to the bed at my back and Luna lay herself down in front of me, slipping her arm around my waist and curling in to me.

Curled together like a pile of oversized puppies, we drifted off to sleep.

I woke to a knock on the doorframe and Hermione's quiet voice. "Hello?"

Untangling myself from Rasha and Luna's heavily sleeping bodies, I sat up and caught sight of her.

"What time is it?" I asked quietly, rubbing my eyes and crawling toward the foot of the bed.

"Nearly ten," Hermione said, leaning against the doorframe. "Do you sleep naked with other Pack member often?"

Standing straight and looking at the brunette, I smiled sleepily. "The only naked one is Luna, and that's because she doesn't feel the need to be dressed for _anyone_; but yes, often times I do," I explained. "Rasha always wears her underwear and bra when in bed with others. I put these on hoping it would make you less uncomfortable around me in the morning," I gestured to my satin panties.

A bright blush crept up Hermione's face and she looked to the ground. "Well, that's thoughtful," she said. "Thank you."

I felt the smile on my face fade a little. "It's not helping, is it?"

"That's not it," she looked up at me, keeping her voice down. "I'm just not used to so many naked women running around; much less one that I'm attracted to."

My beast, and my own heart, swelled happily when she admitted that she was attracted to me. "You'll get used to it," I assured her. "At least, you'll get used to Luna. I tend to dress when there are guests. She just doesn't care unless her father is around. Then she dresses properly." I gave a light chuckle. "As open as we are, we don't fancy being naked around our fathers for extended periods of time."

"Understandable," she nodded. "I don't mean to pester you, Pansy, but, err, do you think you will get a chance to ask your father about going back to school today?"

Sighing, I led her out to the living room and closed my bedroom door behind me.

Gesturing for her to sit down, I took my own seat on a couch. "I can't promise you anything, Hermione," I warned her. "As I've told you, our secret comes before anything; even before our happiness."

"Why are you so afraid of your secret getting out?" she frowned, cocking her head to one side.

"I told you how my kind used to be slaves to witches and wizards, Hermione," my voice was serious, a hint of anger bordering on hostility giving it an edge. "My father will not have our people be treated as slaves and neither will I. I'm very serious, Hermione. I will be Alpha one day, and I _will _keep my Pack safe, even now, at any cost."

By the time I finished, Hermione's eyes were wide and she seemed speechless.

"But I will talk to him," I added. "There may be something we can do to ensure you will not spread our secret."

Before I could say anything else, the door to the hall opened and my mother walked in, sporting a similar robe to the ones I owned. "I should say death is a fair incentive to keep our secret," she said, sitting down gracefully in one of the arm chairs. "Wouldn't you, Hermione?"

Turning my gaze to the brunette, I saw the slightest hint of fear in her eyes and turned on my mother.

"Do not scare her, Mother," I demanded, regretting it as soon as I'd said it.

Calmly, my mother stood and walked toward me. "Stand up, Pansy." I obeyed and stood, looking her in the eyes. Too late to change my defensive way, to do so would show weakness. Best to take what was coming to me.

"I am Alpha female of this Pack, Pansy," she said, eyes bleeding to her wolf eyes. "I rule along side your father, and as Alpha female I could have your throat if I wanted it." Her long nailed fingers closed around my neck and she jerked me toward her, her eyes boring into mine. I thought she was going to really tear my throat for a moment before her fingers loosened their death grip on it and her eyes were human once more.

"But I am your mother first, no matter what the image I put off to the rest of the Pack. Allow me to speak with your father, dear," she kissed my cheek. "But, I warn you, Hermione," she turned her gaze to the cowering figure in the chair. "The penalty for even letting our secret slip _will _be death. Do you understand that?"

It took Hermione a few tries but eventually she was able to utter a soft "yes".

"I am having breakfast sent up here for the four of you," Mum said, offering a hand up to Hermione, who took it, afraid to refuse it. Pulling her around to me, she entwined her fingers with my own. "You two need to stay in here for now. The rest of the Pack is downstairs at breakfast and I do not want any of you down there. That includes the two in there," she jerked her head toward my bedroom. "Luna's father is present and we are discussing matters that do not concern her or Rasha."

"Of course, Mum," I nodded, silently reveling in the feel of Hermione's dainty hand in my own.

My mother swept from the room and I was left there, holding hands with my, hopefully, future mate.

Two hours later found Hermione and me lounging on my bed as she asked me question after question. Things like the chain of command in the Pack, customs, rituals, and anything else that popped into her mind. It was odd for me to answer so many questions about the Pack. I'd never had to explain our ways to anyone, as it was only we knew about us.

Now there was Hermione.

"You talk about your beast a lot," she stated, taking one of my pillows and hugging it to her body. "Do you mean that there's a literal beast inside you? Because that wouldn't make sense seeing as you seemed to keep your mind when you, uh-." She didn't seem to be able to find the word.

"Shifted," I smiled. "No, I don't have a literal beast inside me, but I do share my mind with her," I sat up against the headboard and got comfortable in a mound of pillows. "It's hard to explain, really, but it's as though there are two sides of me: myself and my beast.

"I have near perfect control over it, but my beast wants to be in control of me. It's almost a constant struggle for her, because I don't let her out all that much. Especially now," I admitted. "I can't afford to lose control around you. She wants you almost more than I do."

"I'm not going to lie," Hermione raised an eyebrow. "That's slightly off putting that what sounds like a spirit of a wolf inside you wants me more than you do."

I bit down on my lip and tried to come up with the words to explain. "That's not exactly what I mean," I said, idly playing with the hem of my black tank top. "I want you because I care about you and want to keep you safe. The way my beast wants you is a controlling and possessive mess."

"And you're not possessive?" Hermione snorted.

"I'm not possessive," I snapped. "I'm protective of you. There is a very big difference."

Hermione looked taken aback and almost hurt and I wanted to jump out of the window.

"I'm sorry," I sighed, reaching over and taking her hand in mine. "I don't mean to be, for lack of a better term, bitchy like that. Hermione, you need to know that, if you do indeed become my mate, I am by nature a very protective and proud person. It's in my blood and nothing can be done to help it." I stopped for a moment. "Even if there was, I wouldn't change, though. It is my job to protect those I care for and my job to keep my Pack safe."

"But you're not Pack leader yet," she frowned. "Why do you focus so much on that and not on just being a teenager in school? I just don't understand that." A flash of sorrow flicked through her eyes and tugged at my heart. "I don't understand why you aren't allowed to just have a life right now."

"I do have a life, Hermione," I traced circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. "The way I am about my Pack is the same way you are about your studies. Knowledge is your key to happiness. Being a strong leader is mine," I bit down on my lip and looked at her. "Does any of that make sense?"

"It does," she sighed, nodding. "Just… reading that book about you made me sort of sad. You really didn't have much of a childhood. While I was coloring pictures and playing make-believe, you were already trying to protect your Pack. It just makes me sad, I suppose." Hermione gave a small shrug and looked down at our hands.

"Just because I'm going to be Alpha," I said, squeezing her hand gently, "doesn't mean I won't have time for other things. My father owns two restaurants and a bookshop, among other businesses."

"What do you want to do, other than being Alpha?"

I looked down and felt a deep blush creeping up my face. "I, uh, really haven't thought about it, I guess. But I know I can't allow myself to only focus on the Pack. My great, great grandfather went insane because he never left this house for fear of his Pack being taken from him. Risks must be taken in order to be the best Pack Leader one can be."

"Listen to what you just said," Hermione sat up and looked at me. "You just said that risks must be taken. If that's true, why do you keep your secret so hidden?"

I looked at her, face blank. "Centuries of slavery, Hermione," I said. "Excuse us if we're a little hesitant to come out into the open again."

"But now is probably the best time to come into the open again," she argued, frowning at me. "With an inevitable war looming over us, I would think this is a perfect time."

That made me laugh, though it was more a bark than anything else. "There are other Packs, Hermione," I began to explain. "Most of which still carry a heavy hatred for wizards and would absolutely love the chance to slaughter thousands of witches and wizards. Whose side do you think they'll take? The side that would allow them to kill as many witches and wizards as they want or the side trying to bring peace to the world? Being werewolves doesn't automatically make us anymore moral than anyone else."

Hermione stared at me for a long minute, thinking about what I'd said and, finally, she nodded. "I see what you mean," she said. "Maybe now _isn't _a good time after all."

"You can't fix the world, Hermione," I sighed, squeezing her hand lightly. "All you can do is keep trying to make a difference. My mother used to tell me a story about making a difference when I was little. She tells me she learned it from a muggle-born witch she knew in school."

"What was it?" Hermione's voice was soft as she played with my fingers gently.

I settled back into my mound of pillows and let her play with my hand all she wanted.

"A long time ago," I started, closing my eyes lightly, "on the beach by the ocean, a huge wave crashed over the sand and left thousands of starfish stranded on the sand.

"A little boy saw all the starfish and began to walk down the beach, picking up starfish, one by one, and throwing them back in the water. He went on for hours, picking up the starfish and tossing them into the ocean. The boy kept at it, but the number of starfish was just too great. He knew he couldn't help them all.

"As the sun began to set, an old man saw the young boy throwing the starfish into the ocean and he laughed. He walked over to the boy, stepping over the starfish and not helping a single one of them. The man placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and said, 'you'll never be able to throw all these starfish back to the ocean; it won't make any difference.'

"The boy looked up at the old man and shook his head. Picking up another starfish, he held it up to the man for a moment and said 'maybe not, but it makes a difference to this one' and he threw it back into the ocean. 'And this one,' he said picking up another and throwing it as well.

"The old man just rolled his eyes and walked away, leaving the boy to do as he pleased.

"And the boy threw hundreds of starfish back into the ocean before he heard his mother calling him in for dinner. So, even if he'd only thrown _one _starfish back into the ocean, to that one starfish, it made all the difference in the world."

I opened my eyes and saw Hermione looking at me, a small smile planted on her face.

"I've heard that before," she said, squeezing my hand in hers. "A long time ago when I was just a kid. Thanks for reminding me about that, Pansy."

"You don't need to thank me for something like that," I shrugged and sat up on the bed. "I just don't want you to think you can fix everything; it's not your job and it shouldn't be a weight on your shoulders." I took my hand from hers and stood up, stretching and rotating my neck.

"When the time is right," I added, looking out the window at the autumn kissed trees, "my people will come out into the open. But that time is not right now. Not when so many people could be killed by a grudge held by my kind."

Before Hermione could say anything, the door to my room opened and my mother's voice called for Hermione and me.

Hermione got up and I led the way into my living room and to the door where Mum was standing with a smile on her face.

"Yes?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Your father wants to see the both of you in his study," she said, shooing me out of the way and wrapping an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "I've talked to him and he wishes to speak with the both of you."

I nodded and Hermione looked a bit scared.

"Don't worry, dear," Mum smiled and kissed Hermione's cheek, pulling her along as I headed down the stairs and toward my father's study. "I will be right here beside you; not that you need any further protection. My husband is not an unreasonable man."

I gave a soft snort and received a mental slap from my mother as I reached Dad's office.

"After you, Pansy," Mum smiled.

I walked in to my father's office, head held high as they followed.

Dad was sitting behind his enormous dark wood desk, tying a letter to my owl's foot.

"You wanted to see us?" I asked, stopping three feet from his desk.

"Hermione is right," he sighed, sitting back in his chair, smoothing his short hair back. "Were this any normal pairing, you would be allowed to continue about your daily lives; your mother has convinced me that this is probably as normal as it will get for you," he said with a grin. "And I trust that young Hermione realizes the importance of not betraying our trust."

I glanced back and saw Hermione nod frantically, fear evident in her eyes.

"Then I have decided to allow you to go back to school," Dad smiled brightly. "It is not fair to keep Hermione locked away from school when she loves it so much. In fact," he chuckled, "it's illegal. So, I've sent word to Professor Dumbledore, explaining the situation and requesting that he come and deliver you to school himself tonight. I have matters of great importance to tend to right now, and Pansy, you are coming with me whether you want to or not."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Not another Young Alphas meeting."

"No, it's not another Young Alphas meeting," Mum snapped. "You will go with him, and I don't want to hear another word about it!"

I flinched and cowered away. "Yes, Mum," I nodded. "Just let me get dressed." With that, I rushed out of the room and up the stairs.

What did Dad want with me? The Gods only knew…

~~Hermione~~

I stood there with Ally's arm around my shoulders in front of Mr. Parkinson; unsure of what I was expected to do or say.

"Relax, Hermione," Mr. Parkinson smiled. "I'm not going to eat you, and neither will my wife. I only need to talk to Pansy, and Ally with you. It is a most important subject, and may well save a lot of awkwardness between the two of you." He stood and walked around to me, kissing my forehead lightly. "All will be well, as long as you keep your end of the deal."

With that, he kissed his wife and walked from the room, leaving me there with Ally.

"Come with me, dear," she said, turning us around and leading me out of the room and down the hall.

As we ascended the stairs, she sighed. "Are you aware that you will be ovulating soon?" she asked.

Blushing bright red, I shrugged. "I never really paid much attention to it before," I admitted. "But Pansy mentions it sometimes."

"What does she say?"

"That it's hard for her to be around me when I'm… well, ovulating." I couldn't bring myself to say "in heat". It was weird to think of myself as an animal that goes in to heat once a month.

"It is true," Ally nodded. "So if she randomly takes off, don't get angry because it is more than likely for your own good. Pansy's beast… well, her beast wants you in a very different way. The beast wants you like a real wolf wants to mate; to control.

"Pansy and her beast are two entirely different things. You must understand that, Hermione," she added as we reached her room and she opened the door for me to go in. "She quite literally fights to keep her control around you at times. Her eyes give it away, but then, I am also her mother. Please," she gestured to a couch, "sit down."

I sat down on the edge of the couch and Ally laughed, throwing her long hair over her shoulder and sitting beside me. "Sit back, dear," she said. "I may be alpha female, but, in all honesty, I may also be your mother-in-law in six months."

That made me look away, out through the window, and sigh.

"I know, Hermione," Ally soothed me, placing her hand on my knee. "It is all so very much to take in and I can't imagine how it must be for you. Want in on a secret, dear?" She leaned closer, smiling. "Growing up, I disliked Alec with a passion. I knew he would be Pack Leader, and that had a lot to do with his arrogance. He though that he could have any female he wanted, from the moment he knew he would one day have to choose a mate.

"And, in reality, he could. The Pack Leader can choose any member of the Pack to be their mate; but the cruel days of forced mating are over," she added, patting my knee. "Pansy is a very impatient person, Hermione. But, do you notice the patience she exercises with you? You may not see the extent of it, but I do. As her mother, I can tell you that she is being the most patient I have ever seen her manage."

I looked back at Ally and sighed. "I get that she's being patient with me," I said. "But, I need her to understand I have a family, too. I can't just come here for Christmas and that's it. I was supposed to go home for the holidays and spend the time with my mum and dad at a skiing resort."

Slowly, a wide grin spread across Ally's face and a glimmer of the wolf inside her shone in her eyes.

"What skiing resort, dear?" she asked.

Surprised that she knew what skiing was, I thought for a moment and laughed. "Ironically enough, it's called The Wolf Mountain Ski Lodge. Have you ever been skiing?"

Ally laughed again, with the graceful toss of her hair once more. "That resort," she smiled, "is owned by Rasha's mother, a half-blood witch."

"Oh," I raised my eyebrow, "then … why isn't Rasha in Hogwarts or something?"

"I'm afraid we've had trouble with that," Ally sighed, running a hand through her long hair. "Rasha seems to attract trouble, and has been kicked out of three schools. My brother has given up and is homeschooling his daughter. Three times a week Rasha has classes all day with the best tutors one can find."

"I see," I nodded. "I'd be afraid to ask what kind of trouble she attracts."

"Potentially secret revealing trouble," her gaze darkened. "Because of her eyes, she's teased and she has quite a temper. The last school she was in, she threw one of the older students across the grounds." I gasped. "The teachers there were convinced that she was using a levitation spell, with a little encouragement from my sister-in-law.

"But we are getting off subject," she crossed her legs and smiled at me. "The point is that our Pack can simply go to the same resort you and your family plan to stay at. It may even work out better that way," Ally added. "We haven't been skiing in many years and Pansy still hasn't quite got the hang of it. She does more of that crude snowboarding stuff. Maybe you can help her be a bit more civilized."

"I've never tried snowboarding," I admitted. "But I'm sure I can get her to try skiing."

"As am I," the smile on her face seemed knowing, but I didn't question her. "So tell me," she changed the subject, "do you have any other worries?"

"Tons," I sighed. "I like Pansy, a lot, but this is a lot to handle. I'm willing to learn about you guys, but I don't know if she'll be willing or patient enough to do the same for me." I paused for a minute, trying to find the words for what I wanted to say.

"And if things work out between me and Pansy," I bit down on my lip for a moment, "well, I can't just… can't keep something like this from my parents. I would have to tell them at some point what she is."

"Do you really think that your parents are ready to hear such a thing?" Ally raised an eyebrow. "Do you think they could handle the fact that you would be joining a powerful werewolf Pack and that you could one day be Alpha Female? Isn't it shock enough that you are a witch?"

I thought about that for a moment. Indeed, they were still, after nearly six years, trying to get used to me being a witch. They were still struggling to keep it a secret from the rest of the family. But, the sentence for letting slip that I was a witch was not death, just a simple spell on the people who had been told.

If they let slip that I was involved with a Pack of werewolves, they would be killed.

Ally hadn't threatened me with that fact, but she seemed to know what I was thinking because she spoke up. "So you see why it is best for you to keep the fact that we are werewolves a secret? It is safest for your parents and for us. Everyone has at least one secret that needs to be kept no matter what, and if you didn't before, Hermione, you do now."

Tears sprang to my eyes and I tried to hold them back. Tried to remain calm and not break down sobbing.

Pansy's mother wasn't fooled. She pulled me into a tight hug and smoothed my hair down. "Shhh," she tried to soothe me as my tears began to stain her silk blouse. "Remember, no matter how bad it will hurt Pansy, we can make this go away. She's strong, and she would survive. Remember that you do have a choice. And I'll let you in on another little secret," her voice was soft in my ear. "Death is a highly unlikely consequence for you. As strong and serious as my husband is, Pansy is still his little girl at heart and she would beg him not to kill you and simply erase your memory of us. He would listen because he can't stand to hurt his daughter so deeply. And he can't stand to kill the girl she loves, to begin with"

I only cried harder, tears of confusion that seemed to never stop.

But Ally held me to her, rocking me lightly and humming a soft tune and, for a split second, I imagined her holding her daughter as a baby and humming the same tune. An image I had seen in Pansy's enchanted book.

My tears lessened and my breathing calmed until I just relaxed into Ally's motherly embrace.

"Hermione?" her voice was soft. "What to you think about becoming an Animagus?"

I went completely still.

And smiled.

**A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to get this up. But please let me know what you think and I'll have another chapter up ASAP! Thank you and R/R!**


	10. Wait what?

**A/N: I'm so sorry it has take me so long to get this up. I'm currently in Wisconsin and so updating is rather difficult but I am doing my best. Please let me know what you think and I will have another chapter up as soon as I possibly can! Thank you, and R&R!**

**Pansy's POV**

I sat beside my father in the Lupanar, side by side in the middle of the chamber. It had been on this bery spot that I had been born, and where my father had been born before me. The spot held a great deal of importance to the both of us.

But he had been born with skin, and I with fur.

"I know how you feel, Pansy," he sighed, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "About Hermione, I mean. I see the way you look at her and I see me looking at your mother." I didn't say anything, just stared at the earth beneath me. "I know you're afraid," he added and I looked up at him. "Let me finish," he held up a hand to stop me. "you're afraid that she will chose not to be your mate. That she would rather die or forget about you. But let me assure you, Pansy, knowing how you love her I could never kill her. That is the promise I make to you. I am Pack leader, but I am also your father. It is no real father's wish to destroy his daughter's heart." He squeezed my shoulders and kissed my forehead.

"If she says no," I sigh, "my heart, not to mention my ride, is destroyed either way. I honestly don't know which would be worse." I ran my hands through my hair, frustrated. "TO have her dead or to forget me all together. To not even know that I exist in this world." I fought against tears threatening to well in my eyes. I felt my beast, and she was every bit as agonized at the thought as I was. "I keep scaring her, Dad," I finally looked back at him. "And the way she affects me scares me as well.

"On Halloween, when we came here, Rasha had broken Great Grandmother's vase and I lost my temper. But, Hermione stood up and told me not to hurt Rasha, twice." I looked up at my father, confusion evident in my eyes. "And I couldn't; I couldn't bring myself to ignore what she'd said. She fixed the vase and Rasha showed throat to Hermione. I'm not sure she quite understands what that means," I sigh. "There is still so much for her to learn and know."

My Father's Hand moved to the back of my neck and he pulled my forehead to rest against his own. "I have a feeling," he smiled, "that everything is going to be all right. After all," his smile turned into a wide grin. You have your mother's beauty and my charm."

I raised an eyebrow and pulled away. "I have your hair, and that's about it," I tease. "The charm I also get from Mum."

"That is where you're wrong," he laughed and stood up, pulling me with him. "You have many, if not all, of the traits that make me a good Alpha. You're fiercely loyal, brave, diplomatic, and devilishly good looking. Among many other things, of course."

I smiled and he pulled me into the strong, comforting embrace that only a father can give to his daughter. "You know," he pulled back and grinned at me after a minute. "We haven't ran together in almost a year and a half. Just you and me."

I could practically feel my face light up and I nodded frantically. Without so much as a second thought, I bolted and tore through my clothes as my beast broke free of my skin.

_Show off, _Dad's voice grinned in my mind. I could hear his thundering foot falls behind me. As in human form, my father was a much bigger wolf than I was.

_Try to keep up, old man, _I gave a playful bark over my shoulder at him.

His low, rumbling laugh wafted around in my head and I felt a gust of wind as he leaped over me and hit the ground running. _Don't get too cocky, young one, _I could hear the smirk in his voice.

My nose caught the scent of a deer up ahead. _Dad, _I did my best to catch up with him in time. _Dad, there's a deer up there. _I sniffed the air. _A buck; we can take him together. _

We slowed to a halt far enough away that the deer wouldn't catch wind of us. I faced my father, my tail wagging involuntarily. It wasn't something I could stop myself from doing. My beast was excited and so was I.

_We _are _one short, _Dad nodded at me. _One of the young males didn't get a deer last night, as he was too busy chasing Luna around. _

_Then let's go!_ I gave a small hop and began moving forward slowly.

_Careful, _my beast whispered through my mind. _Do not scare him off. _

My father moved soundlessly next to me, his breathing light. He was a much better hunter than I was, but my beast made up for that. She coached me, always had ever since my first hunt.

_There it is_, Dad crouched behind a fallen tree and I follow suit. _Listen_, he bent his head to mine as though he were actually talking out loud. His voice in my mind was a whisper but I didn't question him. Human habits were nearly impossible to overcome, even though we weren't human. _I'm going to chase him, you go in for the kill. Position yourself behind that bolder over there. _He nodded toward a large, half buried bolder.

I nodded and began moving silently, taking my time and making sure not to frighten the buck.

_Watch where you step_, my beast hissed at me. _Do not step on twigs and be as quite as you can on the dead leaves. _

I gave her a mental nod and made my way to the rock, crouching behind it and peering around carefully so I could see the animal properly.

_On my signal_, Dad's voice whispered in my mind.

I crouched low, ready to spring as my beast kept whispering to me. _Not yet... keep low and spring at just the right moment. _

_NOW! _My father's voice whipped through my mind and he sprung, beginning to chase the buck as I began to run along side it out of its line of view. Dodging left to right, up and down to avoid stumps and branches. It was such a release to be hunting again; hunting big game with my father, my alpha.

_Faster, _my beast growled. _Leap when I tell you to, and not a moment sooner. _

I grunted and sped up, lining myself up so that I could jump and grab the animal around the neck.

_Go! _

I jumped and sank my teeth into the meat of the deer's neck, grappling it around the neck as best I could as my father took its hind legs from under it. The buck fell to the ground in defeat and I ended his pain quickly before I let go of his neck.

_Well done, _my father's voice smiled through my mind and he licked my cheek. _I will shift and carry it back to the house, you run ahead and get a shower. _

I gave a small bark and wagged my tail before I took off into the trees again, retracing my steps back to the Lupanar. As I drew level with the entrance, I caught sight of one of the human Pack members cleaning up the mess we had made. I barked at her and gave her a doggy grin, a werewolf's universal "thank you" to someone who couldn't speak with them in wolf form.

"You're very welcome," the woman smiled at me and went about cleaning up the clear goo my father and I had left behind.

I yipped once more and took off again toward the house excitedly. Hunting always made me feel better after just about anything. The freedom it gave me, the way it allowed me to give into the instincts that were always in me but rarely given the chance to breathe. It would help a lot, in the long run, and I would be able to pay attention in class for a couple months instead of staring wantonly out the window and only half listening.

Deciding to run the woods for a couple more hours, I let my wolf breath for a while. In my mind, I saw her bouncing around and rolling in the grass like any puppy would do when given the freedom.

Eventually though, I did have to get back inside and start packing a few extra things I thought might help and that I had forgott4n when I had boarded the Hogwarts Express. I wanted to take a couple more of my heated cloaks so that Hermione wouldn't freeze when she went on a run with me. Also, I wanted to bring a couple books on lycanthropes so that she could read them and learn a little more about my people. Oh, and -

I stopped dead in my tracks, eyes bulging at the sight before me as I trotted toward the house. Three wolves sat before me. One was my father and one was my mother. Between them sat a petite looking white wolf, but I knew her scent.

It was Hermione.

I lunged forward and tackled the middle wolf, pinning her down on her back and licking her cheek happily, tail wagging about a hundred miles a minute.

_Let her breathe, Pansy, _my mother's voice chuckled. _This is only the third time she's shifted to her animagus form. I heard you coming and she couldn't wait to show you. _

I licked her cheek one last time and backed off, allowing her to get up. My beast was ecstatic. She loved seeing Hermione like that even more than I did. Hermione stood and gave me a doggy grin, her tail wagging as well. Though, her movements were a little jerky. She was still getting used to being a wolf; of course, it didn't come naturally to her like it did to me. She didn't share her mind with a wolf. Lucky her.

Dad gave a nod. _Good thing you decided to run around a bit more, _he laughed. _Apparently there was some difficulty in the process and it took a little longer than expected. Dumbledor will be here tomorrow instead of tonight. Get her used to running tonight.  
_

_She's good, Dad, but no one is _that _good, _I snickered and looked back to Hermione. My beast and I both beamed at her, tail still wagging happily as she sat in front of us. It gave me hope that maybe, hopefully, she was leaning toward saying yest to being my mate.

And, for now, that was good enough for me.

Hermione stood and walked to me, her beautiful brown eyes staring at me. She nodded her head toward the trees and I took that to mean she wanted to run for a bit. Without another word to my parents, we took off into the woods together.

**Pansy's Mother's POV: **

Once we'd both shifted back to normal and got dressed, I looked at my husband and smiled brightly. "She's so happy," I said excitedly. "Did you see them?"

"Yes," he nodded, moving behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "Seeing them reminded me of the two of us when we were that age. Running together whenever we could, hunting."

"I don't think Hermione is ready for hunting, Alec," I sighed, resting my head against his shoulder.

"Of course not," Alec kissed my cheek. "I was simply stating what the two of us did so often when we were young. Pansy is understanding and I'm sure she won't pressure Hermione into hunting or anything else for that matter. I trust her, and so should you."

"It's not our daughter I don't trust," I slipped out of his embrace and picked up my hair brush. "It's her beast."

My husband nodded and sat down on the bed. "It does seem to be getting stronger, doesn't it?" he rubbed the back of his neck. "She she's having a harder time controlling herself lately, but she seems to be gaining better control. Then again, as Pansy grows stronger so does her beast. It'll be a constant struggle between her and the wolf." He sighed and frowned at the ground for a moment before looking back up at me. "On the other hand," he grinned, "I had the same trouble before you and I were officially mated. It could be that if and when they become mates that she and her beast will equal each other out and come to an understanding."

_Still brushing my hair, I bit down on my lip and nodded. "I really home that it works out that way," I said. "But remember, Hermione has not agreed to anything yet." _

"She became an animagus."

"She wanted to do that anyway," I rolled my eyes. "And she seemed fine with being a wolf. In fact, I told her she didn't have to be a wolf, but she said that she liked the idea so that was what we went with."

"And how did she come out white?" Alec raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know," I admitted truthfully. "It wasn't on purpose, I can tell you that. She and I both assumed she would be either a gray or brown wolf. When she turned out white... well, I was just as surprised as she was." Setting my brush down, I moved to the bed and sat beside my mate. "I have a good feeling about it, Alec," I told him, lacing my fingers with his. "I think that this will all turn out for the best. And when we go to the resort for Christmas Holidays and meet her family, I expect it will be quite an interesting time."

"Isn't it always with muggles?" he smiled, kissing my fingers and rubbing his scruffy cheek against them lightly. "Though, I must admit they ski much better than most witches and wizards I've met who were even remotely interested in the sport."

"Well," I laughed, "it _is _a muggle sport after all."

"That is true," he nodded and stretched his back a little. A small smile came to his face; the smile that was reserved for when he was thinking about his family. About me and his daughter. "Hermione really seems to make her happy, doesn't she?" he said, staring at our clasped hands.

"I haven't seen her this happy in years," I pulled him down to the bed to lay down and curled into his embrace. "If our daughter has finally found her mate, I believe we can count on her being happy for the rest of her life."

"I can only hope that this is truly it," my mate whispered. "If it isn't..."

"Shhh," I pressed a finger to his lips. "Let's not worry about that unless it happens..."

**Pansy's POV: **

I grinned as I walked out of the bathroom, drying my hair with a towel. Running with Hermione had been amazing! She got used to being a wolf very quickly and she was even keeping up with me; though, honestly, I wasn't really running my full speed, but close enough.

I moved to Hermione's room and knocked lightly on the door, though it was slightly ajar.

"One minute!" came her hurried reply and I heard her pulling her clothes on quickly, stumbling briefly in her rush.

I could not help the smirk that spread across my face. She was still shy and it was really very cute; though at the same time slightly disappointing.

While it was true that I was, indeed, sexually attracted to Hermione in a strong way, it was more than that. For a werewolf, being naked was second nature and not always sexual. The skin to skin contact was comforting and natural for us. From a human's point of view, however, I understood that our ways could sometimes seem a little unnatural.

"Come in," she called out to me and I walked in.

When I caught sight of her, my breath caught and I stood frozen in place; she was wearing the lacy black nightgown that I had seen her pull out of her trunk on the first night she had spent in my home.

We had ran ran in the woods for much longer than I had intended. Once we began running, I didn't want to stop and neither did she. We ran until we were too hungry to ignore it anymore and had to come in to eat. By that time, though, it was nearly sunset.

"Beautiful," I blurted out before I could stop myself.

"Thank you," she blushed bright red, looking down at her feet shyly.

"I'm sorry," I looked away and sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I just... I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"No, no," she shook her head and looked up at me. "I'm just not used to being this explosed in front of you."

I saw her eyes travel down my body and take in my own appearance. My black tank top and black lace boyshorts, my damp black hair cascading down my shoulders. I smiled and shifted my my pose slightly, allowing her a better view of my body.

The movement caused her to blush an even deeper red and look away, embarrassed to have been caught looking at my body.

"It's ok to look, Hermione," I took a step toward her. "It's nice to have some validation that you really are attracted to me." My voice is soft as I take another step toward her before I catch myself, realizing how uncomfortable she looks as I stalk toward her. "I'm sorry," I step backward. "I guess I was being a little presumptuous. I'll leave you alone to go to bed."

As I turned toward the door, she moved forward and set her hand on my arm. "Pansy," her voice was quiet, hesitant.

"Yes?" I turned and looked at her, curious.

"Is...," she stopped for a moment. "is Luna going to be sleeping with you tonight?"

"More than likely," I nodded, frowning. "Probably Rasha as well. Why?"

She looked like she was going to say something but hen waved it off. "Nevermind."

"No," I said firmly. "Tell me."

"I- well, I was thinking," she bit down on her lip. "If uh- if they weren't going to be with you tonight, I might sleep with- I mean next to you," she blushed so rightly I thought she might burst.

"Are you sure?" I raised an eyebrow, completely serious. "I don't want you to feel like you have to."

Hermione looked down for a minute, thinking hard. "It's just that," she sighed, "once we get back to school, I don't know if we will get the chance to spend much time together. I want to see what its like at least once."

My heart soared, though she had no idea I had aprivet room so we could spend as much time together as we wanted. "Are you sure?" I asked again.

"Yes," she nodded. "I mean, we'll just be sleeping, right?"

"Of course," I smiled, wanting to hold her but deciding not to. "I will not push for anything else. I will let them know not to come up for bed. THere are plenty of other beds for them to share with pack members."

She slid her had into mine and squeezed it lightly. "Thank you," she smiled at me, her eyes beautifully soft and deep.

"For what?" I laughed, smiling back at her.

"For being patient with me," she sighed, still smiling. "Not pushing too hard."

"I don't want to scare you away," I admitted. "I've been working on my patience. I just... I want you to understand so badly about so much, and I want to tell you so much. But, at the same time, it _is _a lot and it will take time. I mean..." I felt a light blush color my cheeks. "If you.. you know." I couldn't say it. Didn't want to think about the alternative.

She nodded, not saying anything.

"Let's not think about that, though," I said, bringing her hand up to my lips and kissing it lightly. "Let's just be and see how everything goes, ok?"

Hermione nodded again and raised her eyes to meet my own. She held my gaze as no other, parents aside, in the house would dare.

I pulled her toward my bedroom and she followed willingly, though I could feel how nervous she was. "Would it make you feel better if I put pants on?" I asked as we stepped into my bedroom and I moved toward my dresser.

She looked me up and down again, swallowing hard. "no," she shook her head. "I ... I know wearing what you are already isn't exactly comfortable for you."

I smiled brightly and laughed. "But your comfort is more important to me," I told her honestly. "True, I am more comfortable naked, but it doesn't matter. To have you beside me while I sleep is enough to make me willing to be completely clothed." She didn't understand just how much that meant, but that was ok.

"I think I'm ok with how you are," she bit down on her lip.

Nodding, I moved and got on to the bed, waiting for her to join me. She climbed up on the bed and under the blanket. I stayed on top of the blankets, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

"Aren't you cold?" she frowned up at me.

"No," I smiled and shook my head. Fighting the beast inside me as she wanted to be pressed close to her mate as much as I did. "I'm fine. I don't want you feeling uncomfortable, and I cuddle a lot in my sleep," I admitted with a sly grin.

"It's ok," Hermione insisted. "I... It was kind of what I had in mind, actually. I just... I feel really close to you after today."

"Are you sure?" my face is completely serious.

She nodded and I slipped under the blanket, mere inches away from her soft body.

"You're so warm," she whispered, scooting a little closer to me. Her foot touched mine and I gasped.

"And you are so cold," I shiver slightly, moving a little closer to her.

I brought my hand up to her face and traced a line from her temple to her chin, biting down on my bottom lip. I wanted to pull her to me and hold her tight against me, warming her up.

"Hermione," I swallowed hard and burried a hand in her hair. "Can I kiss you?"

She looked at me wide eyed in the dying sunlight and nodded ever so slightly. "Please," she sighed. "I want you to."

I moved my head down and caught her lips with my own gently. We were both still for a moment that seemed to drag on into eternity. Her lips were so soft, so smooth against mine. Oh, Gods, I wanted her but I needed to be satisfied with this. I pulled away a couple of centimeters and opened my eyes halfway.

We were both breathing a little more raggedly. It was the first willing kiss that we had shared; the one I had stolen before to stop her screaming did not count. I wanted more; a more fulfilling kiss.

Before I could do it, she pushed her lips to mine again and scooted closer, so she was pressed against my body. I shivered, and not only because her skin was so cold. My hands buried themselves in her hair and my mouth devoured hers gently. My wolf swelled in my chest and I groaned lightly.

It was enough to catch her attention and Hermione pulled away from the kiss, blushing bright red.

"I'm sorry," she bit down on her lip and tried to pull away from me but I held her still.

"Please," I whispered, burying my face in her hair. "At least let me hold you; just for a little bit," I damn near begged her, desperate to just feel her close to me.

Hermione stopped moving and nodded, wrapping one arm around my waist and trying to relax her body.

We lay like that for a while, until she began to pull away from me. "It's a little warm," she admitted. "Your skin is so hot."

I nodded and smiled at her. "Thank you for bearing with me for a little, Hermione," I kissed her forehead.

Nodding back at me, she turned over with her back to me and allowed me to wrap one arm around her waist as she breathed evenly. It was a long time before either of us fell asleep, but she was the first to drift off as I simply lay beside her for nearly two hours before I, too, slipped into a peaceful slumber. My wolf, for the first time for so long, content and sated.

**A/N: Well, R&R, let me know what you think. I know this took me a long time and it's really not much but ... due to deaths and sickness in the family and the fact that I was in Wisconsin for three months, my writing is not what it normally is but I promise to work hard on the next chapter. I promise you all!**


	11. What a year it will be

**A/N: Well, I'm back everyone. Not only am I back, but I am back with a brand new computer (and a badass one at that!) Things are still going a little rough around here but I've decided that writing calms me down a lot, and so I've come to the conclusion that it's time to start writing again. I apologize for the funk I've been in for the past few months, but things are getting better, despite the few trips to the hospital I've had to make this week for my aunt. But all of that is another story completely…**

**Return and Rebuild**

The sun shone down on us as Hermione and I walked briskly toward the school with the Headmaster.

"Your friends have been completely insufferable in your absence, Miss. Granger," Dumbledore laughed, his eyes twinkling as bright as ever. "I'm sure they will be most eager to see you as soon as they hear of your return."

That thought makes my eyebrows furrow.

I had forgotten about the rest of the people in Hermione's life entirely. That they would have a hard time believing that I was not as stuck up and horrid as I had been acting for years. In fact, I highly doubted that they would accept a friendship between their friend and me, let alone a possible relationship.

And the Weasley girl.

I knew that, like a child, she was quite likely to see Hermione with me and want her back. As if she were some toy that was to be repossessed when the child saw another playing with it.

"- would you, Pansy?" Hermione's voice cut into my thoughts and I shifted my gaze to land upon her face.

"I'm sorry, I zoned out for a minute," I admitted to her.

"Miss. Granger was just asking if you would mind her switching Prefect rounds with your usual partner," Dumbledore smiled brightly at me. "So that you will have more time to spend together."

"Of course not," I gave a warm smile. "I would prefer it, really."

As we closed in on the main entrance, Dumbledore let out a sigh. "Do be careful, you two," he looked at me. "I do not want any fights to start breaking out. The Gods know that you may well hurt someone if it gets to be physical."

"I have never started a fight, Professor," I looked up at him. "I don't plan to start doing so now."

"I will take that as an 'I'll try'," he nodded. "I know how your people are in these types of situations and so I will not make you give a promise you cannot keep." We stopped in front of the door. "Now, I must go fetch Miss. Lovegood and your little cousin."

"What?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "Rasha will be coming here? For school?"

With a laugh, he shook his head and his eyes met mine. "I am sure you will be able to handle her. Besides, she is running out of schools willing to accept her very quickly."

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "I suppose that's true," I shifted my eyes to Hermione. "And she listens to Hermione really well. Hopefully she'll be in either Gryffindor or Slytherin."

"I am sure it will be fine either way," Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Tatty-bye," he waved happily and disapparated instantly with a loud _CRACK. _

After barely a moment, Hermione took off like a bolt of lightning toward the door and pushed her way into the school.

Shaking my head, I simply walked in casually, bag slung over my shoulder. I already missed being at home.

Hermione stood at the top of the stairs, glancing back at me then toward the grand staircase and I knew she wanted to go see her friends immediately. No one was up yet, it was far too early. Dumbledore had shown up about three hours after we had gone to sleep.

"Go ahead," I motioned for her to go. "I'm not stopping you. I'll just see you later."

"Lunch?" she suggested with a smile, which I returned.

"Sounds good," I moved up the stairs and toward the stairs leading to the dungeons. "I have some business to attend to, anyway."

With another smile, she rushed off up the stairs and I was left alone, standing in the empty stillness of the early morning castle. Which was rather odd, considering-

"Well, if it isn't little Pug Nose!" the high pitched cackling voice of the poltergeist rang out above me and I glanced up with just my eyes to see him floating, upside, down over my head, twirling a small umbrella.

"Leave me alone," I said in a bored voice, descending the stairs slowly.

"Ohhhh, Puggy Puggerson is angry at old Peevesy!" Peeves chuckled, bouncing along above me. "What's got her knickers all in a bunch?"

"I only just returned from a vacation and you are among the last beings that I want to see right away," my voice was flat as I walked down the hall and toward the Slytherin common room.

"A vacation? With bush head?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to look at the translucent pest. "If you would rather, I could go spend some quality time with the Bloody Barron. After all, I've heard he really is quite the conversationalist once you get past that sinister shell."

Had he been able to, I knew Peeves would have turned even more white than his condition already caused him to be.

Without another word, he was gone into thin air.

**Hermione's POV: **

I found my way quickly to the common room and up into my dorm to get dressed into my robes before I would head to the great hall for breakfast, to surprise Harry and Ron when they came in for the meal. I dressed quickly and silently, careful not to wake my roommates and bounded down the stairs again and began running down the grand staircase.

All the while, I thought of Pansy as I moved down the stairs, passing the occasional early rising students. They were the ones like me, who preferred to actually study and pass their classes.

I began to wonder just how much Pansy actually studied, or she was another one I would have to bother about studying, just as I constantly had to with my two best friends. Did she have a study schedule? A planner? Did she have special methods for studying or did she just tend to wing it? Study when she felt like it.

_Felt. _

The way she had felt as she held me close to her the night before; warm and secure. I was safe when I was around her, but I knew I didn't need her to be safe. All the same, she was warmth incarnate and last night had been amazing. Running with her and then sleeping beside her.

The way her soft skin pressed against mine as our lips met for the first time –

"Hermione!" Rasha's voice was in front of me as I exited the grand staircase. She stood there with a little grin on her face, already wearing Hogwarts robes, sans House emblem, not having been sorted yet.

"That was fast," I smiled back and gave her a small hug. "Dumbledore didn't waste any time did he?"

"He doesn't seem like he's the type to waste time," she hugged me back, more tightly that I had done to her. "Where's Pansy?"

"I don't have an answer for that," I pried myself out of her grasp and gently massaged my ribs where they hurt from a werewolf bear-hugging me. "She went off… I guess she's in her room?" I ventured a guess though by the Gods I had no idea where she could have gone. "She said she had business to attend to and that would have lunch together."

"Well, do you know where her room is?" the platinum-haired girl asked, frowning.

"Sorry," I gave a shrug. "But she'll probably come to breakfast. She sits at the Slytherin table, but I guess you can sit where you want for today."

"I guess it can wait then," Rasha sighed. "I-"

"Hermione!" my name was called again, but I had known this voice since I started Hogwarts.

Harry and Ron were racing down the stairs, wearing their Quidditch uniforms and brooms slung over their shoulders.

Ron reached me first and engulfed me in a hug. "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded, looking down at me. "Was this more time turner business?" he asked as Harry took his turn to hug me tightly.

"No," I shook my head and laughed. "It's just such a long story and I'm really hungry right now. Let's just get some breakfast."

"Who are you?" Ron asked sharply, looking at Rasha.

"Ron," I said quickly before Rasha could get upset. That hadn't been quite the nicest first greeting to get from someone she didn't know on her first day. "This is Rasha. Rasha, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Rasha is new to the school." I looked to the third year who was looking blankly at Ron with her purple eyes.

"Oh, ok," Harry smiled politely and offered his hand to her. "Welcome to Hogwarts, then."

"Thanks," Rasha took his hand hesitantly and shook it gently. "It's nice to finally meet you." She gave a smile that did not quite reach her eyes and took her hand away from him.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with your eyes?" Ron blurted out, crouching slightly to get a closer look at them. "They're purple!"

I froze and kept my eyes on Rasha to see what she may have been thinking. I could see the danger of her being at any school when her unusually vivid purple eyes drew a lot of attention. Not to mention her platinum blond hair. Ron could have been getting himself into a lot of trouble at that moment and I was hoping that he would get lucky and not be thrown across the room.

Rasha looked at him blankly, as if deciding what she was going to do about the boy two times her size staring at her.

"Are you sure you should be a prefect?" she finally spoke, her tone mocking. "Can you honestly not figure it out yourself? I _am_ a witch, you know. A simple color changing spell does wonders."

I covered my mouth with my hand to hide a snicker as I remembered the first time I'd met Ron when he had been attempting to turn his rat yellow.

Ron shot a disbelieving look at me before looking back at Rasha. "You've got a right smart ass attitude on you for a midget," he said, trying to save face as students began passing by us.

Rasha tensed and I could tell she was going to say something or do something foolish.

"Rasha, why don't you go get something to eat?" I suggested, snapping her attention to me.

"Actually, I'm gonna go find Pansy," she sighed and stormed off up the stairs.

"That little pipsqueak is with Parkinson?" Ron frowned, disgusted.

This was going to be a very long year at school...

**Pansy's POV:**

I stationed myself in the Slytherin common room, waiting for Bulstrode to leave emerge from her dorm for breakfast. She and I were going to have a talk about what she had tried to do to Hermione and what she had forced me to do in order to keep her from hurting an innocent person.

Student after student passed me, nodding in recognition that I was back and I would nod back at them.

Then the last person I wanted to see dragged himself down the stairs, his two goons following close behind him. They looked even dumber than they had when they had in our first year, when I had decided it would be best to eventually attach myself to one of the males and ruled them out at first glance. Draco was the best choice out of the three, and I decided to stick with him.

"Where have you been, Parkinson?" he drawled when he saw me, stopping in front of me, blocking my view. "Haven't seen you in days."

"I don't see how it's any of your business," I said flatly, my eyes emotionless as I stared at him.

"Well, I heard that you and Granger were sent home around the same time for personal reasons," he sneered, pushing his hair back out of his eyes. "Did you hex her good?"

"Why I went home is no business of yours, Malfoy, so nose down," I glared.

"Come on, tell me what you did to her and then maybe we could go somewhere..." he placed his hand on my hip and I knocked it away.

"Don't touch me ever again or I swear I will pull every last hair out of your greasy head," I hissed at him. "Daddy is in Azkaban now, so you can't hide behind him anymore," I added with a sneer of my own.

"You'll be sorry you said that," he growled and stalked away. "Crab, Goyle! Come on!" The chastened dogs followed their master obediently.

"Good doggies," I smirked after them. "Woof woof."

They were either too scared to say something back at me, or too stupid. However, it was quite possibly a mixture of both.

After another half hour, my target finally descended the stairs gloomily as she rubbed sleep from her eyes. When those eyes caught sight of me, she attempted to run away back up the stairs.

Stupid move; she only cornered herself and made it easier for me to get to her.

In her dorm, I found her sitting on her bed and looking at me as if she were seeing a ghost.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow as I kicked the door closed and flicked my wand to lock it quickly. "Surprised to see me again? Thought you had killed two birds with one stone by forcing me to reveal myself to a human?"

She did not say anything, draining of all color.

"You did," I laughed coldly. "You thought I would be imprisoned and Hermione killed. The fact is, pup," I kicked over a wastebasket as I stalked toward her, "we may well be mated soon. Therefore,, if you even think about touching her, I have every right to kill you when school ends. I may do it anyway, when I take your pack in ten years," I add as an afterthought. "You deserve no less."

"We're changing," she said quietly, eyes pleading with me. "We're getting stronger."

"Oh, really?" I tilted my head to one side. "And do you think, even if you are getting stronger, that you will ever be a match for me?"

Her head lowered obediently and I nodded. "This is your last warning," I hissed quietly to her. "Keep your head down and keep to your side of the castle grounds on full moons."

She gave a nod, not daring to look me in the eyes.

Kicking the basket again, I moved through the door and slung the bag over my shoulder once more.

The walk through the halls was quiet; the few students I passed ignored my presence and carried on toward the Great Hall. The feeling of entrapment seemed as if it had lessened now that I knew my potential mate was in the castle with me. I felt a small smile curl my lips and let it stay.

It felt good to smile a genuine smile.

My room was just as it was when I had left. Alex's portrait was facing the stone wall and Alice's was still facing the correct way. In fact, she was waiting for me when I walked into my bedroom.

"Ah, the young Alpha returns," she grinned as I set my bag down on the bed and stretched my arms. "And I trust that your young mate has returned as well."

"She's not my mate," I rolled my eyes. "Well, not yet at least."

"Oh, but she will be, dear," Alice laughed and clapped happily. "You two are far too perfect a couple."

"You really are very cryptic," I sighed as I picked out new clothes to wear. "I suppose you won't tell me how you know this?"

"Not a chance, young one," she laughed again.

"Fine."

I dumped my bag out after I dressed myself, put away my clothes, and place the books that I'd brought with me on my bookshelves.

_Pansy, if you're around please say something! _Rasha's voice intruded my thoughts and I sighed to myself. She sounded pissed off and she couldn't have been here for more than a half hour.

_What? _I thought back to her.

_Where are you? _

_I'll come find you in a minute. Just try not to kill anyone and stay where you are. _

This would surely be a very interesting year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...

**A/N: Ok, so I know it's not a very long chapter and kinda "A to B" but I will be working on the next one come tomorrow since I don't have to babysit or do anything at all, really. But R&R and let me know what you think. Also, if anyone is interested in drawing up some FanArt for this fic, you are more than welcome to and I would be very interested in seeing it.  
**


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